ult ... he checked the thought.

Suddenly he cursed. Mechanically he had begun to measure his stride in
time with the doleful dirge from the castle. He stalked on with
altered pace. As he rounded the corner at the rear of the structure,
he saw a shadow outlined against the sky, crouching on a ledge below
one of the little windows. He looked again--cried:

"Vilma!"

The figure above him stirred, looked down, then climbed hastily
earthward. It was Vilma ... Vilma, with black hair hanging stringily
about her head, face pale, eyes fixed in the wideness of fear ...
Vilma, with her wet clothing clinging to the lovely contours of her
symmetrical body.

"Oh, Cliff!" she gasped, a dry sob choking her. "Thank God--thank
God!"

She clung to him, her face hidden against his shoulder, quivering
uncontrollably. Then tears came, saving tears, relieving her pent-up
emotions.

Cliff said nothing, only held her close, strongly protective. And
gradually he felt the tempest of terror subside. At last she looked
up. Some of the dread had gone from her face, and she tried to smile.

"I guess--I can't take it," she said.

Cliff shook his head solemnly. "You're a game girl, Vilma! You've
nerve enough for two men. If you can, tell me what happened. Or if
you'd rather let it wait, just say so."

"I'll feel better if I get it off my chest," she said. "You probably
saw those--things--carry me from the yacht." Cliff nodded. "Well, I
was just about paralyzed when they dropped me in their terrible boat.
I remember, you tried to arouse me; then that horn blew, and I just
seemed to float away in an ocean of sleep.

"After that I can remember nothing till I awoke with water filling my
eyes and nose and mouth, choking me. Someone's arms were around me--it
must have been you, Cliff--and then they weren't there any more, and I
struggled wildly, out of my wits. I don't know how I got to shore, but
I did, and I lay there in the shadow of the galley, choking and
gagging, but afraid to cough. It wasn't altogether dark, and I could
see those dreadful things with people hanging over their shoulders,
carrying them along a narrow ledge close to the water's edge, heading
inland. I thought maybe you were one of those limp bodies; and I--I
almost died of fright. After a while the last one had gone, and the
light went out. Then I heard another pair of feet moving over the
rocks. Corio, I suppose. The sound died--and I was alone.

"That place was awful,