The Turtles of Tasman

ming in from the bright sunshine to the dark cabin, Linday observed little of its occupants. He was no more than aware of two men and a woman. But he was not interested in them. He went direc

the muscular neck, yet the delicate featur

you been using?" Lind

te, regular solutio

the injured man, and stood erect. She breathed sharply, abruptly bitin

hop wood or some

them de

," Linday went on. "I w

other," sai

him with her eyes. He nodded relu

from the bench where he

u,

erficial examination of the pati

"So that's yo

as if to reassure herself of his identity,

n't you

rs. "What is the use? Yo

seen him. Sit down." He waved her to a stool, himself taking the bench. "I

d began extracting a

to do?" she asked, a

t up before

out...." She inclined her he

thi

nd rested her fingers light

id slowly. "Kill him by doing nothin

ith a harsh little laugh. "From time immemorial in this weary old wo

sired. I was a free agent. Rex never stole me. It was you who lost me. I went with him, wi

eded. "I see you are as keen a thinker as

ker can be a

foolish,"

it the wisdom

with clever women. A man always forgets and traps hims

ght-looking blue eyes and a seeming emanation

any one else, on your looks, and form, and carriage. I ought to know. I've been

as it always was, and, as she knew, it was alway

member Lak

was rather ab

old sake. Won't you, Grant, please, just remember back ... a lit

ck on his thumb. He drew the thorn out, inspected it critically, t

rd journey for an unk

"Do you fancy I'd have moved a step

w. And there he lies. Wh

I am not at the man's

peak, when a knock

t!" he

ant any a

cket of water! Set

to....?" she be

sh

the brutality, and

w the Strang breed. If you can forget old sake, so can I. If you don

roved gravely, then added, with a sneer: "Besides, I

ghtly, and watched his quick eyes take

know what it is, but I'll control it. I am merely beside myself. It's partly anger-with you. And it's apprehension and fear. I don't want to

"Stay with it. You can best it. If

replace came the singing of a cricket. Outside two wolf-dogs bickered. The injured man's chest rose an

you love hi

shone with a light unashamed and proud.

nificent, a lover of beauty and a wanderer. I don't know how much like your Rex Strang he was, but I fancy a sort of resemblance. Well, this man was a painter, a bohemian, a vagabond. He kissed-oh, several times and for sever

could no longer paint. And she was very happy, and glad he could not see her face. Remember, he worshipped beauty. And he continued to hold her in

estored to paint them, he could write finis and be content. And then, no matter how, there c

ugged his

e would leave her. Beauty was his religion. It was impossible that he could

with his eyes, the high lights foc

o you love Rex Stra

do?" she

yo

es

ifice? You ca

luctant was

will come

voice was a whisper.

be Lake Geneva over aga

ink and droop, bu

aw, build up that fire and start boiling all the water you can.-Here you," to the other man, "get that table out and under the window there. Clean it; scrub it; scald it. Clean, man, clean, as you never cleaned a thing before. You, Mrs. Strang, wil