stroy our last chance."

"But sir," cried Robert wildly, "it amounts to this: we are using Myra
as a lure!"

"In order to save her, Rob--simply in order to save her," retorted Dr.
Cairn sternly.

"How ill she looks," groaned the other; "how pale and worn. There are
great shadows under her eyes--oh! I cannot bear to think about her!"

"When was _he_ last there?"

"Apparently some ten days ago. You may depend upon him to be aware of
our return! He will not come there again, sir. But there are other
ways in which he might reach her--does he not command a whole shadow
army! And Mr. Saunderson is entirely unsuspicious--and Myra thinks of
the fiend as a brother! Yet--she has never once spoken of him. I
wonder...."

Dr. Cairn sat deep in reflection. Suddenly he took out his watch.

"Go around now," he said--"you will be in time for lunch--and remain
there until I come. From to-day onward, although actually your health
does not permit of the strain, we must watch, watch night and day."

CHAPTER XXII

MYRA

Myra Duquesne came under an arch of roses to the wooden seat where
Robert Cairn awaited her. In her plain white linen frock, with the sun
in her hair and her eyes looking unnaturally large, owing to the
pallor of her beautiful face, she seemed to the man who rose to greet
her an ethereal creature, but lightly linked to the flesh and blood
world.

An impulse, which had possessed him often enough before, but which
hitherto he had suppressed, suddenly possessed him anew, set his heart
beating, and filled his veins with fire. As a soft blush spread over
the girl's pale cheeks, and, with a sort of timidity, she held out her
hand, he leapt to his feet, threw his arms around her, and kissed her;
kissed her eyes, her hair, her lips!

There was a moment of frightened hesitancy ... and then she had
resigned herself to this sort of savage tenderness which was better in
its very brutality than any caress she had ever known, which thrilled
her with a glorious joy such as, she realised now, she had dreamt of
and lacked, and wanted; which was a harbourage to which she came,
blushing, confused--but glad, conquered, and happy in the thrall of
that exquisite slavery.

"Myra," he whispered, "Myra! have I frightened you? Will you forgive
me?--"

She nodded her head quickly and nestled upon his shoulder.

"I could wait no longer," he murmured in her ear. "Words seemed
unnecessary; I just wanted you; you are everything