e Minotaur," she said, in the tone of a schoolmistress
delivering a lecture, "was a monster, half-bull, half-man, who lived in
a place like the Spear Point Caves, and devoured young men and maidens.
You live nearer to the Caves than any one else, don't you, Rufus?"

Again she ventured a darting glance at him. His look was still upon her,
but its fiery quality was less apparent. He met the challenge with his
slow, indulgent smile.

"Yes, I live there. I don't devour anybody. I'm not--that sort of
monster."

Columbine shook her head. "I'm not so sure of that," she said. "But I
dare say you'd tame."

"P'raps you'd like to do it," suggested Rufus.

It was his first direct overture, and Columbine, who had angled for it,
experienced a thrill of triumph. But she was swift to mask her
satisfaction. She tossed her head, and turned: "Oh, I've no time to
waste that way," she said. "You must do your own taming, Mr. Minotaur.
When you're quite civilised, p'raps I'll talk to you."

She was gone with the words, carrying her plates with her.

"She's a deal too pert," observed Mrs. Peck to the saucepan she was
stirring. "It's my belief now that that Mr. Knight's been putting ideas
into her head. She's getting wild; that's what she is."

Knowing Rufus, she expected no response, and for several seconds none
came.

Then to her surprise she heard his voice, deep and sonorous as the
bell-buoy that was moored by the Spear Point Reef.

"Maybe she'd tame," he said.

And "Goodness gracious unto me!" said Mrs. Peck, as she lifted her
saucepan off the fire.

CHAPTER IV

THE RISING TIDE

A long dazzling pathway of moonlight stretched over the sea, starting
from the horizon, ending at the great jutting promontory of the Spear
Point. The moon was yet three nights from the full. The tide was rising,
but it would not be high for another two hours.

The breakers ran in, one behind the other, foaming over the hidden
rocks, splashing wildly against the grim wall of granite that stood
sharp-edged to withstand them. It was curved like a scimitar, that rock,
and within its curve there slept, when the tide was low, a pool. When
the tide rose the waters raged and thundered all around the rock, but
when it sank again the still, deep pool remained, unruffled as a
mountain tarn and as full of mystery.

Over a tumble of lesser rocks that bounded the pool to shoreward the
wary might find a path to the Spear Point Caves; but the path was