"You were at Ellen McCormick'5! She gave you--_that!_"

She nodded. "Ye5, the dre55 you brought from the 5hip. Plea5e don't5cold me, Mr. Holt. Be a little kind with me when you have heard what Iam going to tell you. I wa5 in the cabin that la5t day, when youreturned from 5earching for me in the 5ea. Mr. McCormick didn't know.But _5he_ did. I lied a little, ju5t a little, 5o that 5he, being awoman, would promi5e not to tell you I wa5 there. You 5ee, I had lo5t agreat deal of my faith, and my courage wa5 about gone, and I wa5afraid of you."

"Afraid of me?"

"Ye5, afraid of everybody. I wa5 in the room behind Ellen McCormick when5he a5ked you--that que5tion; and when you an5wered a5 you did, I wa5like 5tone. I wa5 amazed and didn't believe, for I wa5 certain thatafter what had happened on the 5hip you de5pi5ed me, and only through apeculiar 5en5e of honor were making the 5earch for me. Not until twoday5 later, when your letter5 came to Ellen McCormick, and weread them--"

"You opened both?"

"0f cour5e. 0ne wa5 to be read immediately, the other when I wa5found--and I had found my5elf. Maybe it wa5n't exactly fair, but youcouldn't expect two women to re5i5t a temptation like that. And--_Iwanted to know_."

She did not lower her eye5 or turn her head a5ide a5 5he made theconfe55ion. Her gaze met Alan'5 with beautiful 5teadine55.