Beatrice

s the Bell Rocks, juts out between half and three-quarters of a mile into the waters of the Welsh Bay that lies behind Rumball Point. At low tide these rocks are bare, so that a man may walk or wa

The one exception was a man in irons, who came safely and serenely ashore seated upon a piece of wreckage. Nobody ever knew how the shipwreck happened, least of all the survivor in irons, but the tradition of the terror of the scene yet lives in the district, and the spot where the bones of the drowned men still peep grimly through the sand i

santly damp seaweed with which he was wreathed, not much was to be seen. But such light as there was fell upon his face as he peered eagerly over and round the rock, and glinted down the barrels of the double ten-bore gun which he held across his knee. It was a striking countenance, with its brownish eyes, dark peaked beard and strong features, very powerful and very able. And yet there was a certain soft

e. At last, seventy yards or more to the right, he catches sight of the flicker of beating wings, and, like a flash, they are gone. Again a call-the curlew are flighting. He looks and looks, in his excitement struggling to his feet and raising his head incautiously far above the sheltering rock. There they come, a great flock of thirty or more, bearing strai

sfying thud. Hardly have the cartridges been replaced when the wild cry of the curlew is once more heard-quite close this time. There they are, looming large against the fog. Bang! down goes the first and lies flapping among the rocks. Like a flash the second is away to the left. Bang! after him, and caught him to

k, and he knew from experience that the tide setting towards the shore would carry the curlew past this peak. So he went to its extremity, sat down upon a big stone and waited. All this while the tide was rising fast, though, intent as he was upon bringing the curlew to bag, he did not pay much heed to it, forgetting that it was cutting him off from the land. At last, after more than half-an-hour of waiting, he caught sight of the curlew again, but, as bad luck would have it, it was still twenty yards or more from him and in deep water. He was determined, however, to get the bird if he could, for Geoffrey hated leaving his game, so he pulled up his trousers and set to work to wade towards it. For the first few steps all went well, but the fourth

in stentorian ton

oman's gentle voice

was dealing with some befogged lady, "I'm sure I beg your pardon, but would you do me a favou

sty waters and the curlew was bagged. Then, while Geoffrey was still struggling with his waistcoat, the canoe sped towar

iar to the recorder of things done), and see how it came about that B

necessary that she should go some way on account of the rocks and the currents, the denser grew the fog. Sounds came through it indeed, but she could not clearly distinguish whence they came, till at last, well as she knew the coast, she grew confused as to whither she was heading. In this dilemma, while she rested on her paddle staring into the dense surrounding mist and keeping her grey eyes as wide open as nature would allow, and that was very wide, she heard the report of a gun behind her to the right. Arguing to herself that some wild-fowler on

ards the dim figure who was evidently wrest

curlew, sir

ely obliged to you. I was just going to swim for it, I can't be

now that you have got it," said the gentle voice

d the Crusoe on the rock. "The point

uffer?" sai

red Crusoe,

from the canoe-a

ll me where I am? I have quite

s mysterious young lady

; there is the bell, that

en you and Lady Honoria Bingham looked into the school yesterday. I teach in the school." She

y had told him that she was the prettiest girl in Wales, a

n of the canoe. "Isn't it a little risky, Miss Gr

ng in all possible weathers. It is my amusement, and after all the

t she meant by that dark s

getting near seven o'clock, and the tide is high at a quarter to eight. Unless I am

oting and looking for that curlew, and the mist, it never occurred to

dangerous swimming here; the place is full of

ll your canoe carry two? If so, per

it is impossible to see the ripple on them in this mist. We should sink the canoe. No, you must get in and

said, "you ar

nyhow, so I shall be glad of your help. It is nearly fi

yngelly through the mist and gathering darkness, and in that frail canoe. He would not have liked it if she had been a man, for he knew that there was great risk in such a voyage. So after making on

s she skilfully brought the canoe right under his rock

f course," with a glance at his broad shoulders, "you are much stronger. Bu

y. "I will not allow you t

her seat so that her back was towards the bow of the canoe

e carefully stowed in the bottom of the frail craft. Next, with gre

said, leaning forward and stretching ou

me really saw her face, with the mist drops hanging