wo. But at last--at last--_tout passe_!"

"Then it isn't love!" she said with conviction.

He snapped his fingers at the moonlight with a gesture half-humorous,
yet half-defiant. "It is life," he said, "and the irony of life. Don't
be too generous, my queen of the sea! Give me what I ask--of your
graciousness! But--don't offer me more! Perhaps I might take it, and
then--"

He turned with the words, as if the sentence were ended, and Columbine
went with him, bewildered but too deeply fascinated to feel any serious
misgiving. She did not ask for any further explanation, something about
him restrained her. But she knew no doubt, and when he halted in the
shadow of the deserted quay and took her face once more between his
hands with the one word, "Tomorrow!" she lifted eyes of perfect trust to
his and answered simply, "Yes, tomorrow!"

And the rapture of his kisses was all-sufficing. She carried away with
her no other memory but that.

CHAPTER V

MIDSUMMER MORNING

It was two mornings later, very early on Midsummer Day, that Rufus the
Red, looking like a Viking in the crystal atmosphere of sky and sea,
rowed the stranger with great, swinging strokes through the fishing
fleet right out into the burning splendour of the sun. Knight had
entered the boat in the belief that he was going to see something of the
raising of the nets. But it became apparent very soon that Rufus had
other plans for his entertainment, for he passed his father by with no
more than a jerk of the head, which Adam evidently interpreted as a sign
of farewell rather than of greeting, and rowed on without a pause.

Knight, with his sketch-book beside him, sat in the stern. He had never
taken much interest in Rufus before; but now, seated facing him, with
the giant muscles and grim, unresponsive countenance of the man
perpetually before his eyes, the selecting genius in him awoke and began
to appraise.

Rufus wore a grey flannel shirt, open at the neck, displaying a broad
red chest, immensely powerful, with a bull-like strength that every
swing of the oars brought into prominence. He had not the appearance of
exerting himself unduly, albeit he was pulling in choppy water against
the tide.

His blue eyes gazed ever straight at the shore he was leaving. He seemed
so withdrawn into himself as to be oblivious of the fact that he was not
alone. Knight watched him, wondering if any thoughts were stirring in
the slow brain behind that massive fo