And will you take this fan, please?
No, I'll wear the wrap--it's only cobweb weight." She had now pinned up her gown to walking-skirt length; her slim feet were sheathed in silken dancing gear; and she bent over to survey them, then glanced doubtfully at Hamil, who shook his head.
"Never mind," she said resolutely; "only we can't walk far on the beach; I could never keep them on in the dune sands.

Are you ready, O my tempter ?" Like a pair of guilty ghosts they crossed the shadowy garden, skirted the dark orange groves, and instead of entering the broad palm-lined way that led straight east for two miles to the sea, they turned into the sinuous hammock path which, curving south, cut off nearly a mile and a half.
"It's rather dark," she said.
They walked for a few minutes in silence; and, at first, she could not understand why he insisted on leading, because the path was wide enough for both.
"I _will_ not proceed in this absurd manner," she said at last--"like an Indian and his faithful squaw.

Why on earth do you--" And it flashed across her at the same instant.
"Is _that_ why ?"--imperiously abrupt.
"What ?" he asked, halting.
She passed her arm through his, not gently, but her laughing voice was very friendly: "If we jump a snake in the dark, my friend, we jump him _together_! It's like you, but your friend Shiela won't permit it." "Oh, it's only a conventional precaution--" "Yes?
Well, we'll take chances together....

Suppose--by the wildest and weirdest stretch of a highly coloured imagination you jumped a rattler ?" "Nonsense--" "_Suppose_ you did ?" He said, sobered: "It would be horribly awkward for you to explain.

I forgot about--" [Illustration: "She walked a few paces toward the house, halted, and looked back audaciously."] "Do you think I meant _that_! Do you think I'd care what people might say about our being here together?
I--I'd _want_ them to know it! What would I care--about--anything--then!" Through the scorn in her voice he detected the awakened emotion; and, responsive, his pulse quickened, beating hard and heavy in throat and breast.
"I had almost forgotten," he said, "that we might dare look at things that way....