he rose and presently
summoned me to our evening meal.

Having supped, I took beneath my arm my rusty sword (the which I had
sharpened and burnished as well as I might) being minded to fetch what
remained of our goat: but now she comes very earnest to go with me,
and I agreeing readily enough, we set out together forthwith.

CHAPTER XXIX

OF MY ENCOUNTER BENEATH BARTLEMY'S TREE

The moon was very bright, casting great, black shadows athwart our way,
and now, once our familiar surroundings were left behind, we fell
silent or spake only in low voices, awed by the universal hush of all
things; for the night was very still and hot and breathless, not a leaf
stirred and no sound to hear save the unceasing roar of the surf.

"Martin," says she, very softly, "here is a night of such infinite
quiet that I grow almost afraid--"

"Of what?" I demanded, pausing to look down on her where she limped
beside me. And then, 'twixt my teeth, "Is it me you fear?"

"Ah no, no!" cries she, slipping her hand within my arm, "Never, never
that, you foolish Martin!" And here she looks at me with such a smile
that I must needs glance otherwhere, yet methought her cheeks showed
pale in the moonlight.

"Why then, what's amiss?" I questioned as we went on again and I very
conscious of her hand yet upon my arm.

"I know not," she sighed, "'tis the stillness, mayhap, the loneliness
and dreadful solitude, I feel as though some danger threatened."

"A storm, belike," says I, glancing round about us and across the
placid sea.

"O Martin, 'tis hateful to be a woman! Why should I fear thus and no
reason, 'tis folly!" And here she must pause to stamp her foot at
herself. "And yet I do fear!" says she after a while. "O Martin, glad
am I to have man like you beside me."

"Though another man might serve as well!" says I, "Of course?"

"Of course, Martin!"

At this I turned to scowl at the placid sea again.

"Any man?" says I at last.

"O Martin, no--how foolish under grow--'any man' might be evil as Black
Bartlemy."

"I've heard I am much like him in looks."

"But then you are Martin and he was--Black Bartlemy."

After this we were silent a great while nor spoke again until we had
traversed the whole length of Deliverance Sands, then:

"What manner of man?" I demanded.

Now at this she turns to look at me and I saw their lips quiver to a
little smile that came but to vanish again.

"Something your sort, Martin, but witho