h he had
boasted to her he would give his life. Furious, and considering only
in what way he could protect Inez, he stood for a moment at a loss.
From either side the swinging lanterns drew nearer. In his rear his
retreat was cut off by the harbor. Only the dark shadows of Miramar
offered a refuge.

"Quick!" commanded Inez. "You must hide in the garden." Her voice was
cold with displeasure. "When they have gone Pedro will tell you and
you will leave. And," she added, "you will see that you do not
return."

The words sobered Roddy. They left him smarting, and they left him
quite cool. After her speech he could not accept the hospitality of
the garden. And his hiding there might even further compromise her. He
saw only one way out; to rush the nearest policeman and in the
uncertain light, hope, unrecognized, to escape. But even that chance
left the police free to explain, in their own way, why the Senorita
Rojas was in the company of a man who fled before them.

"Do you hear?" whispered Inez. "Hide yourself!"

With a cry of dismay Pedro forced Roddy into the shadow.

"It is too late!" he exclaimed.

Standing in the gateway of the garden, clearly illuminated by the
moonlight, stood Senora Rojas, with her arm in that of Pino Vega.

In spite of himself, Roddy emitted an excited chuckle. In the presence
of such odds his self-reproaches fell from him. He felt only a
pleasing thrill of danger. This was no time for regrets or
upbraidings. The situation demanded of him only quick action and that
he should keep his head. As Roddy now saw it, he was again the
base-runner, beset in front and rear. He missed only the shouts and
cheers of thousands of partisans. The players of the other side were
closing in and shortening the distance in which he could turn and run.
They had him in a trap, and, in another instant, the ball would touch
him. It was quite time, Roddy decided, to "slide!" Still hidden by the
shadow of the thatched roof, he dropped at the feet of Inez, and,
before she could understand his purpose, had turned quickly on his
face and lowered himself into the harbor. There was a faint splash and
a shower of phosphorescence. Roddy's fingers still clung to the edge
of the wharf, and Inez, sinking to her knees, brought her face close
to his.

"Come back!" she commanded. "Come back! You will drown!" She gave a
sudden gasp of horror. "The sharks!" she whispered. "You could not
live a moment." With both hands she dragged