ring the third part
through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will
try them as gold is tried."

Indeed, a new direction was given to Elsie's thoughts by the somewhat
scowling aspect of Christobal's face. He was looking at Courtenay in a
manner which betokened a certain displeasure. The Spaniard's
cultivated cynicism was subjugated by a more powerful sentiment. It
seemed to Elsie that he envied Courtenay his youth and high spirits,
for, in very truth, the mere exchange of those harmless pleasantries
had tuned the younger man's soul to the transcendental pitch of the
knight errant. In his heart he was vowing to rescue this fair lady
from the dangers which beset her, though he said jokingly with his lips:

"If a husbandman has to do with a tiller I may claim some expert
knowledge, Miss Maxwell."

Elsie dared not meet his eyes; a flood of understanding had suddenly
poured its miraculous waters over her. Incidents unimportant in
themselves, utterances which seemed to have no veiled intent at the
time, rushed in upon her with overwhelming conviction. Christobal
suspected her of flirting with Courtenay, and disapproved of it as
strongly as she herself had condemned Isobel's admitted efforts in the
same direction. Though not a little dismayed, she resolved to carry
the war into the enemy's territory.

"Why are you looking so glum, Dr. Christobal?" she demanded. "Has the
captain's quip given you a shock, or is it that you are surprised at my
levity?"

"I am neither shocked nor surprised, Miss Maxwell. I have not lived
fifty years in this Vale of Tears without being prepared for the
unexpected."

"Does that imply that you are disillusioned?"

"By no means. My heart is amazingly young. 'There is no fool like an
old fool,' you know."

"Oh, please don't speak of age in that way. You are far from being an
antiquity. Why, within the past twenty-four hours I have come to look
on you as a sort of elder brother, who can be indulgent even while he
chides."

Courtenay found himself wondering what had caused this flash of
rapiers. But, so far as he was concerned, the proceedings of the
Indians put a stop to any further share in the conversation. The canoe
had drifted closer to the ship. It was about eighty yards distant when
the Indian who was on his feet suddenly whirled a sling, and sent a
stone crashing through the window of the music-room. The heavy
missile, which, when picked up, was