nks to the good God!" He
waited anxiously for her reply, but she stared into the sunshine and
said nothing.

Larmor Baden is a lonely little cluster of gray stone huts on the shore
of the Morbihan sea. Some of Bauzy's friends lounged smiling up to
welcome him, waving their wide black hats with velvet streamers, and
bowing low to the lady. Oliver alighted with decision. One thing he
knew: He would not drive back with her. Something was amiss. He
would wash his hands of her.

"Here, madame, is Vincent Selo, paysageur," he said rapidly in French.
"He has a good boat. He will take you where you desire. Sail with her
to Gavr' Inis," he said to Selo, "and bring her back at her pleasure.
Somebody can drive her back to Vannes, and don't overcharge her, you
robbers!"

"Gavr' Inis?" Frances repeated.

"It is an island in the sea yonder, madame. A quiet place of trees.
When there was not a man in the world, evil spirits built there an
altar for the worship of the devil. No men could have built it. There
are huge stones carried there from the mountains far inland, that no
engine could lift. It is a great mystery."

"It is the one place in the world, people say," interrupted Selo,
lowering his voice, "where God never has been. A dreadful place,
madame!"

Frances laughed. "That is the place for me," she said to Selo. "Take
me there."

The old man looked at her with shrewd, friendly eyes, and then beckoned
Bauzy aside.

"Who is she? She has the bearing of a great lady, but her face hurts
me. What harm has come to her?"

"How do I know?" said Bauzy. "Go for your boat. The sea is rising."

Late in the afternoon M. Selo landed his strange passenger upon the
pebbly beach of the accursed island. He led her up on the rocks,
talking, and pointing across the sea.

"Beyond is the Atlantic, and on yonder headland are the great menhirs
of Carnac--thirty thousand of them, brought there before Christ was
born. But the Evil One loves this island best of all places. It has
in it the mystery of the world. Come," he said, in an awed voice. "It
is here."

He crossed to the hill, stooped, and entered a dark cave about forty
feet long, which was wholly lined with huge flat rocks carved with
countless writhing serpents. As Frances passed they seemed to stir and
breathe beside her, at her feet, overhead. The cave opened into a
sacrificial chamber. The reptiles grew gigantic here, and crowded
closer. Through