led him down to her and
kissed him.

"Never mind, dear," said she. "I care only if you do."

She patted his great shoulders lightly and smiled up at him.

"Run, help!" she cried. "And come home as soon as you can. I'll have
something nice and hot all ready for you."

She turned away, the smile still on her lips; but as soon as she was out
of sight, her face fell grave.

"Come, Mina!" she said to the younger girl. "Time to go."

They toiled through the heavy sand to where, hours ago, they had left
Prince. That faithful animal dozed in his tracks and awoke reluctantly.

Carroll looked back. The fires leaped red and yellow. Against them
were the silhouettes of people, and in the farther circle of their
illumination were more people cast in bronze that flickered red. In
contrast to their glow the night was very dark. Only from the lake there
disengaged a faint gray light where the waters broke. The strength of
the failing wind still lifted the finer particles of sand. The organ of
the pounding surf filled the night with the grandeur of its music.

XXXV

Orde mounted the office stairs next day with a very heavy step. The loss
of the NORTH STAR and of the two schooners meant a great deal to him at
that time.

"It kicks us into somewhat of a hole," he grumbled to Newmark.

"A loss is never pleasant," replied the latter, "and it puts us out of
the carrying business for awhile. But we're insured."

"I can't understand why Floyd started," said Orde. "He ought to know
better than to face sure prospects of a fall blow. I'll tan his soul for
that, all right!"

"I'm afraid I'm partly responsible for his going," put in Newmark.

"You!" cried Orde.

"Yes. You see that Smith and Mabley shipment was important enough
to strain a point for--and it's only twenty-four hours or so--and it
certainly didn't look to see me as if it were going to blow very soon.
Poor Floyd feels bad enough. He's about sick."

Orde for the first time began to appreciate the pressure of his
circumstances. The loss on the cargo of "uppers" reached about 8,000,000
feet; which represented $20,000 in money. As for the NORTH STAR and her
consorts, save for the insurance, they were simply eliminated. They had
represented property. Now they were gone. The loss of $60,000 or so on
them, however, did not mean a diminution of the company's present cash
resources to that amount; and so did not immediately affect Orde's
calculations as to the paymen