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The tone in which she made her entreaty to Crayford went straight to
the sailor's heart。 He gave up the hopeless struggle： he let her see a
glimpse of the truth。
〃On the third day out；〃 he said； 〃Frank's strength failed him。 He fell
behin d the rest from fatigue。〃
〃Surely they waited for him？〃
〃It was a serious risk to wait for him； my child。 Their lives （and the
lives of the men they had left in the huts） depended； in that dreadful
climate； on their pushing on。 But Frank was a favorite。 They waited half a
day to give Frank the chance of recovering his strength。〃
There he stopped。 There the imprudence into which his fondness for
Clara had led him showed itself plainly； and closed his lips。
It was too late to take refuge in silence。 Clara was determined on
hearing more。
She questioned Steventon next。
〃Did Frank go on again after the half…day's rest？〃 she asked。
〃He tried to go on〃
〃And failed？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃What did the men do when he failed？ Did they turn cowards？ Did
they desert Frank？〃
She had purposely used language which might irritate Steventon into
answering her plainly。 He was a young manhe fell into the snare that she
had set for him。
〃Not one among them was a coward； Miss Burnham！〃 he replied；
warmly。 〃You are speaking cruelly and unjustly of as brave a set of fellows
as ever lived！ The strongest man among them set the example； he
volunteered to stay by Frank； and to bring him on in the track of the
exploring party。〃
There Steventon stoppedconscious； on his side； that he had said too
much。 Would she ask him who this volunteer was？ No。 She went straight
on to the most embarrassing question that she had put yetreferring to the
volunteer； as if Steventon had already mentioned his name。
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〃What made Richard Wardour so ready to risk his life for Frank's
sake？〃 she said to Crayford。 〃Did he do it out of friendship for Frank？
Surely you can tell me that？ Carry your memory back to the days when
you were all living in the huts。 Were Frank and Wardour friends at that
time？ Did you never hear any angry words pass between them？〃
There Mrs。 Crayford saw her opportunity of giving her husband a
timely hint。
〃My dear child！〃 she said； 〃how can you expect him to remember that？
There must have been plenty of quarrels among the men； all shut up
together； and all weary of each other's company； no doubt。〃
〃Plenty of quarrels！〃 Crayford repeated； 〃and every one of them made
up again。〃
〃And every one of them made up again；〃 Mrs。 Crayford reiterated； in
her turn。 〃There！ a plainer answer than that you can't wish to have。 Now
are you satisfied？ Mr。 Steventon； come and lend a hand （as you say at sea）
with the hamperClara won't help me。 William； don't stand there doing
nothing。 This hamper holds a great deal； we must have a division of labor。
Your division shall be laying the tablecloth。 Don't handle it in that clumsy
way！ You unfold a table…cloth as if you were unfurling a sail。 Put the
knives on the right； and the forks on the left； and the napkin and the bread
between them。 Clara； if you are not hungry in this fine air； you ought to be。
Come and do your duty； come and have some lunch！〃
She looked up as she spoke。 Clara appeared to have yielded at last to
the conspiracy to keep her in the dark。 She had returned slowly to the
boat…house doorway； and she was standing alone on the threshold； looking
out。 Approaching her to lead her to the luncheon…table； Mrs。 Crayford
could hear that she was speaking softly to herself。 She was repeating the
farewell words which Richard Wardour had spoken to her at the ball。
〃'A time may come when I shall forgive _you_。 But the man who has
robbed me of you shall rue the day when you and he first met。' Oh； Frank！
Frank！ does Richard still live； with your blood on his conscience； and my
image in his heart？〃
Her lips suddenly closed。 She started； and drew back from the
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doorway； trembling violently。 Mrs。 Crayford looked out at the quiet
seaward view。
〃Anything there that frightens you； my dear？〃 she asked。 〃I can see
nothing； except the boats drawn up on the beach。〃
〃_I_ can see nothing either； Lucy。〃
〃And yet you are trembling as if there was something dreadful in the
view from this door。〃
〃There _is_ something dreadful！ I feel it； though I see nothing。 I feel it；
nearer and nearer in the empty air； darker and darker in the sunny light。 I
don't know what it is。 Take me away！ No。 Not out on the beach。 I can't
pass the door。 Somewhere else！ somewhere else！〃
Mrs。 Crayford looked round her； and noticed a second door at the inner
end of the boat…house。 She spoke to her husband。
〃See where that door leads to； William。〃
Crayford opened the door。 It led into a desolate inclosure； half garden；
half yard。 Some nets stretched on poles were hanging up to dry。 No other
objects were visiblenot a living creature appeared in the place。 〃It doesn't
look very inviting； my dear；〃 said Mrs。 Crayford。 〃I am at your service；
however。 What do you say？〃
She offered her arm to Clara as she spoke。 Clara refused it。 She took
Crayford's arm； and clung to him。
〃I'm frightened； dreadfully frightened！〃 she said to him； faintly。 〃You
keep with mea woman is no protection； I want to be with you。〃 She
looked round again at the boat…house doorway。 〃Oh！〃 she whispered； 〃I'm
cold all overI'm frozen with fear of this place。 Come into the yard！ Come
into the yard！〃
〃Leave her to me；〃 said Crayford to his wife。 〃I will call you； if she
doesn't get better in the open air。〃
He took her out at once； and closed the yard door behind them。
〃Mr。 Steventon； do you understand this？〃 asked Mrs。 Crayford。 〃What
can she possibly be frightened of？〃
She put the question； still looking mechanically at the door by which
her husband and Clara had gone out。 Receiving no reply； she glanced
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round at Steventon。 He was standing on the opposite side of the luncheon…
table； with his eyes fixed attentively on the view from the main doorway
of the boat…house。 Mrs。 Crayford looked where Steventon was looking。
This time there was something visible。 She saw the shadow of a human
figure projected on the stretch of smooth yellow sand in front of the boat…
house。
In a moment more the figure appeared。 A man came slowly into view；
and stopped on the threshold of the door。
Chapter 18。
The man was a sinister and terrible object to look at。 His eyes glared
like the eyes of a wild animal； his head was bare； his long gray hair was
torn and tangled； his miserable garments hung about him in rags。 He stood
in the doorway； a speechless figure of misery and want； staring at the well…
spread table like a hungry dog。
Steventon spoke to him。
〃Who are you？〃
He answered； in a hoarse； hollow voice；
〃A starving man。〃
He advanced a few steps； slowly and painfully； as if he were sinking
under fatigue。 〃Throw me some bones from the table；〃 he said。 〃Give me
my share along with the dogs。〃
There was madness as well as hunger in his eyes while he spoke those
words。 Steventon placed Mrs。 Crayford behind him； so that he might be
easily able to protect her in case of need； and beckoned to two sailors who
were passing the door of the boat…house at the time。
〃Give the man some bread and meat；〃 he said； 〃and wait near him。〃
The outcast seized on the bread and meat with lean； long…nailed hands
that looked like claws。 After his first mouthful of the food； he stopped；
considered vacantly with himself； and broke the bread and meat into two
portions。 One portion he put into an old canvas wallet that hung over his