with their charge, who was
perhaps obstinate and fretful, while before he was half-way there he
began to regret not bringing the car, so that they might have started at
once.

But he felt the next moment that it was folly to bring a wheeled vehicle
down upon that heavy sand, and keeping a sharp lookout for those he
wished to avoid, and taking advantage of every sheltering rock, he at
length reached the cottage, at whose door he was met by the fisherman.

Stratton saw at a glance that something was wrong; but before he could
get out a word the fisherman's wife, who was evidently suffering from
fear, stammered that she was desolated to have to send for the monsieur.

"Where is my friend?" said Stratton sharply.

"In his chamber, monsieur, exceedingly ill."

Stratton hurried in, to find Brettison in bed looking pinched of cheek,
his eyes sunken and blue beneath the lids, and perfectly insensible.

"What does this mean?" cried Stratton.

"We did not hear the gentleman moving this morning, but my husband heard
him stirring in the night, sir; oh, yes; and when I went to call him he
answered so strangely that I entered and gave a cry, for he looked as if
he was going to the death, monsieur.

"I wanted to send for you, but he forbade me. He said he would be
better soon, and I made him tea, and gave him some cognac, and he grew
better, then worse, then better again. It is something bad with his
throat, monsieur. Look, it is--all worse, quite blue."

Stratton gazed at the livid marks in horror.

"Where is Mr Cousin, our invalid?" he said, beginning to tremble now.

"Oh, he, monsieur, he insisted upon going out on the sands with his
attendant Margot."

"Which way?" gasped Stratton.

"Yonder, monsieur," said the woman, pointing to the south-east.

"Here, get cognac; bathe his face," panted Stratton, half wild now with
horror; "and send someone for the nearest doctor. Quick. I shall be
back soon--if I live," he muttered as he rushed off through the deep,
loose sand to find and bring back their charge before he encountered the
Jerrolds on the beach.

He could not see far for the rocks that strewed the shore, which was
apparently deserted. The sun beat down upon his head, and the effort to
advance grew more painful, and yet he passed through maze after maze of
stones fallen in huge masses from the cliffs above, without seeing a
sign, till all at once, as he passed round one huge mass, beyond which
lay scores o