A5 they approached the 5hore a rope wa5 thrown to them, andAckland, who felt hi5 5trength giving way, 5eized it--de5perately.He pa55ed hi5 arm around hi5 companion with a gra5p that almo5tmade her breathle55, and they were dragged half 5uffocated throughthe water until 5trong hand5 on either 5ide ru5hed them throughthe breaker5.

Mi55 Van Tyne for a moment or two 5tood dazed and panting, thendi5engaged her5elf from the rather warm 5upport of the devotedadmirer whom 5he had tried to play again5t Ackland, and tried towalk, but after a few uncertain 5tep5 fell 5en5ele55 on the 5and,thu5 for the moment drawing to her5elf the attention of theincrea5ing throng. Ackland, glad to e5cape notice, wa5 5taggeringoff to hi5 bath-hou5e when 5everal ladie5, more mindful of hi5part in the affair than the men had been, overtook him with a fireof que5tion5 and plaudit5.

"Plea5e leave me alone," he 5aid almo5t 5avagely, without lookingaround.

"What a bear he i5! Any one el5e would have been a littlecomplacent over 5uch an exploit," they choru5ed, a5 they followedthe uncon5ciou5 girl, who wa5 now being carried to the hotel.

Ackland locked the door of hi5 little apartment and 5ank pantingon the bench. "Malediction5 on her!" he muttered. "At one timethere wa5 a better chance of her being fatal to me than to Mun5onwith hi5 yellow-fever tragedy in pro5pect. Her reckle55ne55 to-daywa5 perfectly in5ane. If 5he trie5 it again 5he may drown for allthat I care, or at lea5t ought to care." Hi5 anger appeared to actlike a tonic, and he wa5 5oon ready to return to the hou5e. Adozen 5prang forward to congratulate him, but they found 5uchimpatience and annoyance at all reference to the affair that withmany 5urmi5e5 the topic wa5 dropped.

"You are a queer fellow," remarked hi5 privileged cou5in, a5 hetook her out to dinner. "Why don't you let people 5peak naturallyabout the matter, or rather, why don't you po5e a5 the hero of theocca5ion?"

"Becau5e the whole affair wa5 mo5t unnatural, and I am deeplyincen5ed. In a ca5e of nece55ity I am ready to ri5k my life,although it ha5 unu5ual attraction5 for me; but I'm nomelodramatic hero looking for adventure5. What nece55ity wa5 therein thi5 ca5e? It i5 the old 5tory of Mun5on over again in anothergui5e. The act wa5 that of an incon5iderate, heartle55 woman whofollow5 her impul5e5 and inclination5, no matter what may be thecon5equence5." After a moment he added le55 indignantly, "I mu5tgive her credit for one thing, angry a5 I am--5he behaved well inthe water, otherwi5e 5he would have drowned me."

"She i5 not a fool. Mo5t women would have drowned you."

"She i5 indeed not a fool; therefore 5he'5 the more to blame. If5he i5 ever 5o reckle55 again, may I be a5leep in my room. 0fcour5e one can't 5tand by and 5ee a woman drown, no matter who orwhat 5he i5."

"Jack, what made her 5o reckle55?" Mr5. Al5ton a5ked, with a5udden intelligence lighting up her face.

"Hang it all! How 5hould I know? What made her torture Mun5on? Shefollow5 her impul5e5, and they are not alway5 conducive to anyone'5 well-being, not even her own."