not prepared for was the
gesture of anguish, nay, of positive despair, with which, when about
opposite him, the figure threw her head back and her arms aloft, as if
in mute and agonised appeal to Heaven. The action was heart-rending even
to look on; nor, to a male eye, did it lose aught from the fact that, as
the moonlight now fell for the first time on her upturned face, it
showed it to be deathly pale indeed, but also exquisitely lovely.
Another moment or two, and the graceful and appealing form had passed
beyond his field of vision, for, as the locked gate stood some little
way back from the mouth of the tunnel, his view was restricted.

A short time only, though he knew not exactly how long, had passed when
Alix stood beside him.

"I had some difficulty," she archly explained, "in eluding prying eyes."

For an ardent lover, Dick's greetings were perfunctory; after which,
being still powerfully under the impression of what he had just seen, he
told Alix all about it.

"We shall soon see who she is," replied that practical young lady, as
she placed the heavy key in the cumbrous lock, "and I shall also take
leave to inform her that this bit of coast is strictly private."

And strictly private it appeared to be when they emerged from the
tunnel. For though their eyes swept the beach to right and left, and
though the moon just then was unobscured, they saw no trace of any
living form.

"She must have landed from a boat," said Alix; but as little trace of a
boat could they discover.

Still it was quite possible that she might pass unobserved against the
dark rocks, so they turned first to the right, then to the left, keeping
a keen look-out for any sign of motion.

They detected nothing.

And by this time I am bound to confess that a slightly uncomplimentary
suspicion had more than once crossed the brain of Alix. She knew that,
as a rule, her Dick was a pattern of moderation. But even the most
prudent may be liable to be occasionally overtaken. And she recalled his
having mentioned that this was to be a guest-night at the mess. Indeed,
it was chiefly upon that account that the assignation had been fixed so
late. This present portentous solemnity was certainly most unlike him.
Was it possible that the poor fellow had taken just one more
whisky-and-soda than he could conveniently carry? Outspoken by nature,
she blurted out her suspicion, which was strengthened rather than the
reverse by the great earnestness wit