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slowly moving through the shadow； the curves of her arm and the
delicacy of her hand that held the bridle rein； the gentle glow of
her softly rounded cheek； the sweet mystery of her veiled eyes and
forehead； and the escaping gold of her lovely hair beneath her hat
were all in turn masterfully touched or tenderly suggested。 And
when to this was added the faint perfume of her nearer presence
the scent she always usedthe delicate revelations of her
withdrawn gauntlet； the bracelet clasping her white wrist； and at
last the thrilling contact of her soft hand on his arm；she put
down the manuscript and blushed like a very girl。 Then she
started。
A shout！HIS voice surely！and the sound of oars in their
rowlocks。
An instant revulsion of feeling overtook her。 With a quick
movement she instantly hid the manuscript beneath her cloak and
stood up erect and indignant。 Not twenty yards away； apparently
advancing from the opposite shore of the bay； was a boat。 It
contained only John Milton； resting on his oars and scanning the
group of rocks anxiously。 His face； which was quite strained with
anxiety； suddenly flushed when he saw her； and then recognizing the
unmistakable significance of her look and attitude； paled once
more。 He bent over his oars again； a few strokes brought him close
to the rock。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 he said hesitatingly； as he turned towards her
and laid aside his oars； 〃butI thoughtyou werein danger。〃
She glanced quickly round her。 She had forgotten the tide！ The
ledge between her and the shore was already a foot under brown sea…
water。 Yet if she had not thought that it would look ridiculous；
she would have leaped down even then and waded ashore。
〃It's nothing；〃 she said coldly； with the air of one to whom the
situation was an everyday occurrence； 〃it's only a few steps and a
slight wettingand my brother would have been here in a moment
more。〃
John Milton's frank eyes made no secret of his mortification。 〃I
ought not to have disturbed you； I know；〃 he said quickly； 〃I had
no right。 But I was on the other shore opposite and I saw you come
down herethat is〃he blushed prodigiously〃I thought it MIGHT
BE youand I venturedI meanwon't you let me row you ashore？〃
There seemed to be no reasonable excuse for refusing。 She slipped
quickly into the boat without waiting for his helping hand；
avoiding that contact which only a moment ago she was trying to
recall。
A few strokes brought them ashore。 He continued his explanation
with the hopeless frankness and persistency of youth and
inexperience。 〃I only came here the day before yesterday。 I would
not have come； but Mr。 Fletcher； who has a cottage on the other
shore； sent for me to offer me my old place on the 'Clarion。' I
had no idea of intruding upon your privacy by calling here without
permission。〃
Mrs。 Ashwood had resumed her conventional courtesy without however
losing her feminine desire to make her companion pay for the
agitation he had caused her。 〃We would have been always pleased to
see you；〃 she said vaguely； 〃and I hope； as you are here now； you
will come with me to the hotel。 My brother〃
But he still retained his hold of the boat…rope without moving； and
continued； 〃I saw you yesterday； through the telescope； sitting in
your balcony； and later at night I think it was your shadow I saw
near the blue shaded lamp in the sitting…room by the window；I
don't mean the RED LAMP that you have in your own room。 I watched
you until you put out the blue lamp and lit the red one。 I tell
you thisbecausebecauseI thought you might be reading a
manuscript I sent you。 At least；〃 he smiled faintly； 〃I LIKED to
think it so。〃
In her present mood this struck her only as persistent and somewhat
egotistical。 But she felt herself now on ground where she could
deal firmly with him。
〃Oh； yes；〃 she said gravely。 〃I got it and thank you very much for
it。 I intended to write to you。〃
〃Don't；〃 he said； looking at her fixedly。 〃I can see you don't
like it。〃
〃On the contrary；〃 she said promptly； 〃I think it beautifully
written； and very ingenious in plot and situation。 Of course it
isn't the story I told youI didn't expect that； for I'm not a
genius。 The man is not at all like my cousin； you know； and the
womanwell really； to tell the truth； SHE is simply inconceivable！〃
〃You think so？〃 he said gravely。 He had been gazing abstractedly
at some shining brown seaweed in the water； and when he raised his
eyes to hers they seemed to have caught its color。
〃Think so？ I'm positive！ There's no such a woman； she isn't
HUMAN。 But let us walk to the hotel。〃
〃Thank you； but I must go back now。〃
〃But at least let my brother thank you for taking his placein
rescuing me。 It was so thoughtful in you to put off at once when
you saw I was surrounded。 I might have been in great danger。〃
〃Please don't make fun of me； Mrs。 Ashwood；〃 he said with a faint
return of his boyish smile。 〃You know there was no danger。 I have
only interrupted you in a nap or a reverieand I can see now that
you evidently came here to be alone。〃
Holding the manuscript more closely hidden under the folds of her
cloak； she smiled enigmatically。 〃I think I DID； and it seems that
the tide thought so too； and acted upon it。 But you will come up
to the hotel with me； surely？〃
〃No； I am going back now。〃 There was a sudden firmness about the
young fellow which she had never before noticed。 This was
evidently the creature who had married in spite of his family。
〃Won't you come back long enough to take your manuscript？ I will
point out the part I refer to； andwe will talk it over。〃
〃There is no necessity。 I wrote to you that you might keep it； it
is yours； it was written for you and none other。 It is quite
enough for me to know that you were good enough to read it。 But
will you do one thing more for me？ Read it again！ If you find
anything in it the second time to change your viewsif you find〃
〃I will let you know；〃 she said quickly。 〃I will write to you as I
intended。〃
〃No； I didn't mean that。 I meant that if you found the woman less
inconceivable and more human； don't write to me； but put your red
lamp in your window instead of the blue one。 I will watch for it
and see it。〃
〃I think I will be able to explain myself much better with simple
pen and ink；〃 she said dryly； 〃 and it will be much more useful to
you。〃
He lifted his hat gravely； shoved off the boat； leaped into it； and
before she could hold out her hand was twenty feet away。 She
turned and ran quickly up the rocks。 When she reached the hotel；
she could see the boat already half across the bay。
Entering her sitting…room she found that her brother； tired of
waiting for her； had driven out。 Taking the hidden manuscript from
her cloak she tossed it with a slight gesture of impatience on the
table。 Then she summoned the landlord。
〃Is there a town across the bay？〃
〃No！ the whole mountain…side belongs to Don Diego Fletcher。 He
lives away back in the coast range at Los Gatos； but he has a
cottage and mill on the beach。〃
〃Don Diego FletcherFletcher！ Is he a Spaniard then？〃
〃Half and half； I reckon； he's from the lower country； I believe。〃
〃Is he here often？〃
〃Not much； he has mills at Los Gatos； wheat ranches at Santa Clara；
and owns a newspaper in 'Frisco！ But he's here now。 There were
lights in his house last night； and his cutter lies off the point。〃
〃Could you get a small package and note to him？〃
〃Certainly； it is only a row across the bay。〃
〃Thank you。〃
Without removing her hat and cloak she sat down at the table and
began a letter to Don Diego Fletcher。 She begged to inclose to him
a manuscript which she was satisfied； for the interests of its
author； was better in his hands than hers。 It had been given to
her by the author； Mr。 J。 M。 Harcourt； whom she understood was
engaged on Mr。 Fletcher's paper； the 〃Clarion。〃 In fact； it had
been written at HER suggestion； and from an incident in real life
of which she was cognizant。 She was sorry to say that on account
of some very foolish criticism of her own as to the FACTS； the
talented young author had become so dissatisfied with it as to make
it possible that； if left to himself； this very charming and
beautifully written story would remain unpublished。 As an admirer
of Mr。 Harcourt's genius； and a friend of his family； she felt that
such an event would be deplorable； and she therefore begged to
leave it to Mr。 Fletcher's delicacy and tact to arrange with the
author for its publication。 She knew that Mr。 Fletcher had only to
read it to be convinced of its remarkable literary merit； and she
again would impress upon him the fact that her playful and
thoughtless criticismwhich was personal and confidentialwas
only based