said.

Those few words, sombrely spoken, checked her wild outburst as surely as
a hand upon her mouth. She stood gazing at him for a space in utter
amazement, but gradually under his unchanging regard her look began to
fail. She turned at length with a little gasp, and sat down on the old
horsehair sofa, huddling herself together as if she desired to withdraw
herself from his observation.

He did not stir, and a long, long silence fell between them, broken
only by the ticking of the grandfather-clock in the corner and the
everlasting murmur of the sea.

The deep, warning note of the bell-buoy floated presently through the
summer silence, and as if in answer to a voice Rufus moved at last and
spoke. "You'd better go, lass. They'll be wondering about you. But don't
be afraid of me after this! I swear--before God--I'll give you no
cause!"

She started a little at the sound of his voice, but she made no movement
to go. Her face was hidden in her hands. She rocked herself to and fro,
to and fro, as if in pain.

He stood looking down at her with troubled eyes, but after a while, as
she did not speak, he moved to her side and stood there. At last, slowly
and massively, he stooped and touched her.

"Columbine!"

She made no direct response, only suddenly, as if his action had