ning."

"I think it more than likely," I answered. "It is extremely oppressive
below."

"It is almost unbearable," she answered, as she took the seat I offered
her. "Notwithstanding that fact, I believe I must have fallen asleep in
my cabin, for I can not remember what I have been doing since dinner."

Recalling the conversation I had overheard, and which had concluded with
the instruction, "In an hour thou wilt wake and wilt remember naught of
what thou hast revealed to me," I glanced at Pharos; but his face told
me nothing.

"I fear you are not quite yourself, my dear," said the latter in a
kindly tone, as he leaned toward her and placed his skinny hand upon her
arm. "As you say, it must be the thundery evening. Our friend Forrester
here is complaining of a headache. Though he will not let me experiment
upon him, I think I shall have to see what I can do for you. I will
consult my medicine chest at once."

With this he rose from his seat and, bidding us farewell, went below.

Presently the Fraeulein rose and side by side we walked aft to the
taffrail. Though I did my best to rouse her from the lethargy into which
she had fallen, I was unsuccessful. She stood with her slender hands
clasping the rail before her and her great, dark eyes staring out across
the waste of water. Never had she looked more beautiful and certainly
never more sad. Her unhappiness touched me to the heart, and, under the
influence of my emotion, I approached a little nearer to her.

"You are unhappy," I said. "Is there no way in which I can help you?"

"Not one," she answered bitterly, still gazing steadfastly out to sea.
"I am beyond the reach of help. Can you realise what it means, Mr.
Forrester, to be beyond the reach of help?"

The greatest tragedienne the world has seen could not have invested
those terrible words with greater or more awful meaning.

"No, no," I said; "I can not believe that. You are overwrought to-night.
You are not yourself. You say things you do not mean."

This time she turned on me almost fiercely.

"Mr. Forrester," she said, "you try to console me; but, as I am beyond
the reach of help, so I am also beyond the reach of comfort. If you
could have but the slightest conception of what my life is, you would
not wonder that I am so wretched."

"Will you not tell me about it?" I answered. "I think you know by this
time that I may be trusted." Then, sinking my voice a little, I added a
sentence that I could scar