As he stumbled along the rocks to the scow, Lem Crabbe uttered dark
threats against the girl who had bitten him. Her temper and the
spontaneous deed that had marked his face did not lessen his longing to
call her his woman, nor did it take the fever of desire from his veins.
It had strengthened his passion to such a degree that he now determined
to permit nothing to interfere with his plans. For at least three years
he had lived on the promise of Lon Cronk that he should have the girl
for weal or woe. Six months before he had offered Lon anything within
his power to set the day of Flea's coming to him nearer; but the thief
had shaken his head with the thought that Flea as a girl would not
suffer through indignities as she would as a woman. He felt no remorse
for the other girl that he had ruined so many years back; but he kept
out of the way of the crazy woman who sometimes crossed his path.

Tonight Lem entered the living-room of his boat, muttering an oath that
ended in a groan, dropped the basket on the table, and struck a match.
He was touching it to the candle, when a sound in the corner startled
him. He turned as he finished his task and saw the brilliant eyes of
Scraggy's cat as the animal sat perched on the woman's shoulder. The
presence of Screech Owl surprised him so that he did not move for a
moment, and she spoke first:

"I hain't seed ye in such a long time, Lem, that I thought I'd come and
let ye see my new kitty. He ain't but two years old."

Lem took a long breath. At first he thought that this must be Scraggy's
wraith come to haunt him after some horrible lonely death. He had far
rather deal with a living Scraggy than a dead one, and at once recovered
his composure.