arched door way in the side of the hut.

"I am sorry to hear of the accident," he said. "You will find
Captain Helding in that room."

For the second time, with singular persistency, Wardour renewed
the conversation with Frank.

"So you knew the Burnhams?" he said. "What became of Clara when
her father died?"

Frank's face flushed angrily on the instant.

"Clara!" he repeated. "What authorizes you to speak of Miss
Burnham in that familiar manner?"

Wardour seized the opportunity of quarreling with him.

"What right have you to ask?" he retorted, coarsely.

Frank's blood was up. He forgot his promise to Clara to keep
their engagement secret--he forgot everything but the unbridled
insolence of Wardour's language and manner.

"A right which I insist on your respecting," he answered. "The
right of being engaged to marry her."

Crayford's steady eyes were still on the watch, and Wardour felt
them on him. A little more and Crayford might openly interfere.
Even Wardour recognized for once the necessity of controlling his