I prayed and worked for him. And then--" she
paused, and, as though seeking help to continue, looked appealingly
into Roddy's eyes. Her own were uncertain, troubled, filled with
distress. "And then you came," she said. "And now I find I think of
you. It is disloyal, wicked! I forget how much he suffers. I forget
even how much I love him. I want only to listen to you. All the
sorrow, all the misery of these last two years seems to slip from me.
I find it doesn't matter, that nothing matters. I am only happy,
foolishly, without reason, happy!"

In his gratitude, in his own happiness, Roddy reached out his hand.
But Inez drew her own away, and with her chin resting upon it, and
with her elbow on her knee, sat staring ahead of her.

"And I find this!" she whispered guiltily, like one at confession. "I
find I hate to spare you for this work. Three weeks ago, when you left
Curacao, I thought a man could not risk his life in a nobler cause
than the one for which you were risking yours. It seemed to me a
duty--a splendid duty. But now, I am afraid--for you. I knew it first
the night you swam from me across the harbor, and I followed you with
my eyes, watching and waiting for you to sink and die. And I prayed
for you then; and suddenly, as I prayed, I found it was not you for
whom I was praying, but for myself, for my own happiness. That I
wanted you to live--for me!"

The girl sprang to her feet, and Roddy rose with her, and they stood
facing each other.

"Now you know," she whispered. "I had to tell you. I had to confess to
you that I tried to make you care for me, hoping you would do what I
wished. I did not mean to tell you that, instead, I learned to care
for you. If you despise me I will understand; if you can still love
me----"

"_If_ I love you?" cried Roddy. "I love you _so_----"

For an instant, as though to shut out the look in his face, the eyes
of the girl closed. She threw out her hands quickly to stop him.

"Then," she begged, "help me not to think of you. Not to think of
myself. We are young. We are children. He is old: every moment counts
for him. If this is the big thing in our lives we hope it is, it will
last always! But with him each moment may mean the end; a horrible
end, alone, among enemies, in a prison. You must give me your
word--you must promise me not to tempt me to think of you. You are
very generous, very strong. Help me to do this. Promise me until he is
free you will not tell me you car