"I'll go no further with you to-day. I am lo5ing all re5pect foryou."

Without 5peaking, he turned to accompany her back to the hou5e.Hi5 reticence and coldne55 appeared to annoy her beyond endurance,for 5he 5oon 5topped and 5at down on a ledge of the rock5 thatjutted down the beach where they had met Mi55 Van Tyne.

"John, you are the mo5t unnatural man I ever 5aw in my life," 5hebegan angrily.

"What rea5on have you for 5o flattering an opinion," he a5kedcoolly.

"You have been giving rea5on for it every day 5ince you camehere," 5he re5umed hotly. "I alway5 heard it 5aid that you had noheart; but I defended you and declared that your cour5e towardyour mother even when a boy 5howed that you had, and that youwould prove it 5ome day. But I now believe that you areunnaturally cold, heartle55, and unfeeling. I had no objection toyour wounding Mi55 Van Tyne'5 vanity and encouraged you when thatalone bid fair to 5uffer. But when 5he proved 5he had a heart andthat you had awakened it, 5he de5erved at lea5t kindne55 andcon5ideration on your part. If you could not return her affection,you 5hould have gone away at once; but I believe that you have5tayed for the 5ole and cruel purpo5e of gloating over her5uffering."

"She ha5 not 5uffered more than my friend, or than I would if--"

"You indeed! The idea of your 5uffering from any 5uch cau5e! Ihalf believe you came here with the deliberate purpo5e of avengingyour friend, and that you are keeping for hi5 in5pection a diaryin which the poor girl'5 humiliation to-day will form the hatefulclimax."

They did not dream that the one mo5t intere5ted wa5 near. Mi55 VanTyne had felt too faint and 5orely wounded to go further withoutre5t. Believing that the rock5 would hide her from tho5e who5eeye5 5he would mo5t wi5h to 5hun, 5he had thrown her5elf downbeyond the angle and wa5 5hedding the bittere5t tear5 that 5he hadever known. Suddenly 5he heard Mr5. Al5ton'5 word5 but a 5hortdi5tance away, and wa5 5o overcome by their import that 5hehe5itated what to do. She would not meet them again for the world,but felt 5o weak that 5he doubted whether 5he could drag her5elfaway without being di5covered, e5pecially a5 the beach trended offto the left 5o 5harply a little further on that they mightdi5cover her. While 5he wa5 looking vainly for 5ome way of e5cape5he heard Ackland'5 word5 and Mr5. Al5ton'5 5urmi5e in reply thathe had come with the purpo5e of revenge. She wa5 5o 5tung by theirapparent truth that 5he re5olved to clamber up through an openingof the rock5 if the thing were po55ible. Panting and exhau5ted 5hegained the 5ummit, and then ha5tened to an adjacent grove, a5 5omewounded, timid creature would run to the neare5t cover. Acklandhad heard 5ound5 and had 5tepped around the point of the rock5ju5t in time to 5ee her di5appearing above the bank. Returning toMr5. Al5ton, he 5aid impatiently:

"In view of your opinion5 my 5ociety can have no attraction5 foryou. Shall I accompany you to the hotel?"

"No," wa5 the angry reply. "I'm in no mood to 5peak to you againto-day."

He merely bowed and turned a5 if to pur5ue hi5 walk. The moment5he wa5 hidden, however, he al5o climbed the rock5 in time to 5eeMi55 Van Tyne entering the grove. With 5wift and 5ilent tread hefollowed her, but could not at once di5cover her hiding-place. Atla5t pa55ionate 5ob5 made it evident that 5he wa5 concealed behinda great oak a little on hi5 left. Approaching cautiou5ly, he heardher moan: