"

Terry laughed happily: "You never can tell, Ellis. I am learning
lessons every day!"

Later, Ellis sought to dry Susan's tears. "Dick, you're a fine lover!
After all these years of search for things for Deane you failed to
give her a wedding gift!"

Terry flushed miserably, for it was true. But Deane thrilled the more
happily for the utter absorption in her that had expelled all other
things from his mind: she knew that Susan had prompted him to both
engagement and wedding rings.

From the pier they watched Ellis and Susan at the rail till the
altering course of the brilliantly lighted steamer swept them from
sight.

An hour later their own liner carried them northward through the dark
Straits.

The deck was deserted, dark. They sat close, in long steamer chairs,
watching the mysterious coastline of Mindanao, the shadowy masses of
distant mountains that seemed less substance than opaque obstruction
of the warm, starry sky. Neither spoke. It was the hour of fullest
gratitude, of mutual dedication. The night about them was filled with
that humming heard only on a big ship plowing through a calm sea after
sundown, the drone of light winds through lofty rigging, the heavy
slipping of displaced water, the muffled roar of great engines
throbbing in the deep hold.

Eight bells rang the midnight hour. Deane rose, whispering that she
had a few things to unpack, bidding him come in ten minutes. Leaning
over him, she smoothed his hair lightly with her two hands, curling
about her fingers the obstinate scalp lock that always would stand
forth from his crown. Reaching up, he took her cool hands and held
them tightly against his cheeks. Releasing her, he watched the
progress of the buoyant form down the long deck, his soul lit with the
flame that warms all mankind.

The moon, in its last quarter, peered over the dark rim of the
mountains. When its lower tip cleared, he rose.

When he joined her in their stateroom, her eyes filled happily as she
watched the fine, white face.

The fox skin lay on the cabin floor before her berth.

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

* * * * *

[Transcriber's Notes:

Every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully as
possible, including obsolete and variant spellings and other
inconsistencies. The transcriber made the following changes to the
text to correct obvious errors:

1. p. 70, "Sear interrupted" changed to "Sears in