now me except as Hal Smith -- for the present, anyway.
You'll see to that, won't you?"

"As you wish, Jim. ... Only, if we go to your own house-----"

"We're not going to the main house. She wouldn't, anyway. Clinch as
taught that girl to hate the very name of Harrod -- hate every foot of
forest that the Harrod game keepers patrol. She wouldn't cross my
threshold to save her life."

"I don't understand, but -- it's all right -- whatever _you_ say, Jim."

"I'll tell you the whole business some day. But where I'm going to take
you now is into a brand new camp which I ordered built last spring.
It's within a mile of the State Forest border. Eve won't know tat it's
Harrod property. I've a hatchery there and the State lets me have a man
in exchange for free fry. When I get there I'll post my man.

It will be a roof for to-night, anyway, and breakfast in the morning,
whenever you're ready."

"How far is it?"

"Only about three miles east of here."

"That's the thing to do, then," said Stormont bluntly.

He dropped one sopping-wet sleeve over his horse's neck, asking care not
to touch the handle. He was thinking of the handful of gems in his
pocket; and he wondered why Darragh had said nothing about the empty
case for which he had so recklessly risked his life.

What this whole business was about Stormont had no notion. But he knew
Darragh. There was sufficient to leave him tranquil, and perfectly
certain that whatever Darragh was doing must be the right thing to do.

Yet -- Eve had swum Star Pond with her mouth filled with jewels.

When she had handed the morocco box to Quintana, Stormont now realised
that she must have played her last card on the utterly desperate chance
that Quintana might go away without examining the case.

Evidently she had emptied the case before she left her room. He
recollected that, during all that followed, Eve had not uttered a single
word. He knew why, now. How could she speak with her mouth full of
(diamonds)?

A slight sound from the shore caused him to turn. Eve was coming toward
him in the dusk, moving painfully on her wounded feet. Darragh's
flannel shirt and his hunting coat buttoned around her slender waist
clothed her.

The next instant he was beside her, lifting her in both arms.

As he placed her in the saddle and adjusted one stirrup to her bandaged
foot, she turned and quietly thanked Darragh for the clothing.

"And that was a brave thing you did," sh