reasure chests. Mr. Von Blitz will have a sad time
explaining this little defection to his friends. We must not overlook
the fact that Lady Deppingham and Robert Browne are quite willing to
take everything from the islanders. Everything that Taswell Skaggs and
John Wyckholme possessed in this island belongs to them under the terms
of the will."

They were at the top of the second flight of stairs by this time and
quite a distance from the treasure chamber. His coolness, the absence of
any sign of returning sentiment, was puzzling her sorely. Every vestige
of that emotion which had overwhelmed him during their sweet encounter
was gone, to all appearances: he was as calm and as matter-of-fact as if
she were the merest stranger. She was trying to find the
solution--trying to read the mind of this smiling philosopher. Half an
hour before, she had been carried away, rendered, helpless by the
passion that swayed him; now he spoke and looked as if he had forgotten
the result of his storming. Strangely enough, she was piqued.

When they came into the well-lighted upper corridor he proceeded
ruthlessly to upset all of her harsh calculations. They were now
traversing the mosaic floors of the hall that led to the lower terraces.
He stopped suddenly, stepping directly in front of her. As she drew up
in surprise, he reached down and took both of her hands in his. For the
moment, she was too amazed to oppose this sudden action. She looked up
into his face, many emotions in her own--reproof, wonder, dismay,
hauteur--joy!

"Wait," he said gently. They were quite alone. The stream of daylight
from the distant French windows barely reached to this quiet spot. She
saw the most wonderful light in his grey eyes; her lips parted in quick,
timorous confusion. "I love you. I am sorry for what I did down there. I
couldn't help it--nor could you. Yet I took a cruel advantage of you. I
know what you've been thinking, too. You have been saying to yourself
that I wanted to see how far I could go--don't speak! I know. You are
wrong. I've absolutely worshipped you since those first days in
Thorberg--wildly, hopelessly--day and night. I was afraid of you--yes,
afraid of you because you are a princess. But I've got over all that,
Genevra. You are a woman--a living, real woman with the blood and the
heart and the lips that were made for men to crave. I want to tell you
this, here in the light of day, not in the darkness that hid all the
truth in me e