ll you do something for me?"

"All that you wish," he said.

"Well, when you come to tea with me in the Magic Cave on the tenth bring
a lantern. Will you?"

"But certainly," he said.

"I want to explore," said Chris. "I want to find out all the secrets
there are."

She turned back to contemplate the deep blue water at her feet, paused a
moment longer; then, "Good-bye, Bertie!" she cried, and was gone.

He saw the curve of her young body in the sunshine before she
disappeared, felt the spray splash upwards on his face; but he continued
to gaze at the spot where she had stood as a man spellbound, while every
pulse and every nerve throbbed with the thought of her and the mad, sweet
exultation that she had stirred to life within him. Child she might be,
but in that amazing moment he worshipped her as man was made to worship
woman in the beginning of the world.

CHAPTER V

THE BIRTHDAY TREAT

It was her birthday, and Chris scampered over the sands with Cinders
tugging at her skirt, singing as she ran. She had three good reasons for
being particularly happy that day--the first and foremost of these being
the long-anticipated adventure that lay before her; the second that her
two young brothers had improved so greatly in health that the tedious
hours of her solitude were very nearly over; and the third that a letter
from Jack, cousin and comrade, was tucked up her sleeve.

Jack's letters were infrequent and ever delightful. He always struck the
right note. He had written for her birthday to tell her that he had
bought a present for her to celebrate the memorable occasion, but that he
was reserving to himself the pleasure of offering it in person when they
should meet again, which happy event would, he believed, take place at no
distant date. In fact, Chris might see him any day now, since the
privilege of escorting her and her following back to England was to be
his, and he understood that the ruling power had decreed that their
return should not be postponed much longer.

She was by no means anxious to go; in fact, when the time came she would
be sorry. But she was not thinking of that to-day. It was not her custom
to dwell upon unwelcome things, and Jack had, moreover, made the prospect
attractive by the suggestion that they might possibly spend two or three
days in Paris on their return. Paris under Jack's auspices would be
paradise in Chris's estimation. She could imagine nothing more
enchanting.

S