hed with festoons of
Spanish moss that swayed gently under the impact of the lessening
breeze.

"Oh, Doctor!" she queried. "Have I been ill? I feel so strange in my
head, and I am so weak, and, oh, so hungry!"

"Yes, Miss Marion," replied Garnet in his most suave manner, "you have
been ill, but are now very much improved. If you will just lie quiet and
try to sleep a little more, I will soon have you where you can have
plenty of good things to eat, and your strength will return as rapidly
as it left you. I'm not going to tell you more at this time. I shall
wait until you've had some nourishment and are strong enough to listen
to a long story."

Ethel forbore further questioning. She simply smiled again and resumed
her sleep. Garnet drew out the hypodermic syringe, then hesitated. He
remembered how limited was his stock of morphia. After a moment more of
doubt, he shook his head decidedly and restored the syringe to his
pocket. It was only too apparent to him that he must husband his supply
with miserly care if he would not suffer the tortures of the damned.

Garnet slipped quietly back to his place by the engine. The sky was now
quite clear again, and as the darkness deepened the wind continued to
fall, until there was almost perfect calm. It was safe enough now for
the little boat to proceed on her way. The Doctor raised the anchor and
started the engine. He steered out from the shore resolutely, without
any sign of wavering, heading toward the northward. But for what port he
sailed was the secret of his own drug-crazed brain alone. Was it his
intention to hide away for a time in some sparsely settled section of
the Sound country, where he could depend upon getting supplies from the
kind-hearted, simple-living coast dwellers? Or did he mean to go back
over the way he had come in this frail craft? To do this, could have but
one ending--the final disaster.

The heavy darkness of the early night hours was soon dispelled. Far to
the eastward, the golden moon at the full came creeping up from behind a
huge sand dune upon Core Banks. Its gentle luminousness fell over the
expanse of water and showed the launch clearly as it voyaged toward the
unknown.... And that same radiance shone upon a lover seeking wildly for
the girl of his heart--and seeking in vain.

CHAPTER XIII

AMONG THE FISHERFOLK

This night was not different from other nights along the western shores
and estuaries of the Sound Country. For that