warm breath was upon her cheek. She felt his strong body pressed
close against hers. A sudden feeling of vertigo came over her.

"I love you--I love you!" he repeated wildly, crushing her slender form
in his powerful arms.

She made no attempt to resist, but remained passive in his caress, as if
a prisoner who knew there was no hope of escape. Yet there was no
indication of anger on her face. Why shouldn't she love this man? If
their lives were to be spent together, she must be his helpmate, his
companion. Besides, she knew she was lying to herself. She did love
him--with all her soul. This was the man she had been waiting for, the
man who would have the courage to overcome her resistance, to take her
fiercely in his arms and cry "I love you--I want you!"

She closed her eyes, her head fell back. He leaned forward until his
lips almost touched hers. Why did he hesitate? Why didn't he take the
prize which was already his? He felt her warm body vibrating with the
passion his ardor had awakened.

"I love you--I love you!" he cried. "Grace, tell me--will you be mine?"

Her eyes were closed. Her head, with its wealth of luxuriant hair all
loose, fell back on his shoulder. Her face was upturned, her lips half
parted. Trembling with emotion, he leaned forward. His mouth slowly
approached hers for the kiss which was to seal their union, when
suddenly he heard a shout.

"Ahoy there! Ahoy there!"

The sound of a human voice in that deserted spot was so utterly
unexpected, so entirely unlooked for, that for a moment Armitage and
Grace started back in alarm. Armitage thus rudely aroused out of his
day-dreams, hurried forward to investigate.

"Ahoy there! Ahoy there!" came the shout again.

There was no mistake this time. Some one was calling, in English.

Presently they saw half a dozen sailors clambering over the rocks and
running toward them. They were Americans.

Grace sank to her knees.

"Thank God!" she murmured. "Rescued at last!"

A boatswain and five sailors came up, looking with interest at Armitage
and Grace.

"Who are you?" cried out the boatswain, as they approached.

Armitage went forward.

"We were wrecked on the Blue Star Steamship _Atlanta_, which went down
in a hurricane on those reefs about six weeks ago."

"Passengers?" asked the boatswain.

Armitage hesitated. Then, pointing to Grace, he said:

"This lady was a cabin passenger."

"And you?" demanded the man.

"Stoker," replied Armitage