The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-04-22

unaSslSted, winch were at last SucceSat Ill.
 "What happened?" she demardcd then. facing him despotically. Do you he;.l? order you to tell me what happened: Where are-the others?'
 Alas, madam, l do not kaaw'
 What" she cried. Do you mean to tell me that they are lost? Do you gay that the-prince is drowned, and that -you' the contempt was seathing saved?"
 He knelt upon the sand, unkempt wan, his shoulders dropping as though her words had been blows.
 q am sorry, madam. I cannot helr it. All l can do is to try to take you nome. l would have done so sooner, but u lost consciousness"
 He rose to his feet, not without diff culty, and moved wearily away to where Tuich's boat lay, upside down upon the shore. To turn it over required an effort of which he felt himself hardly capable.
 Meanwhile, the significance of the fact that she alive, after having, as she supposed, passed through the jaws of the Loophole, began to penetrate Evadene's in- telligence.
 Everything was unaccountable. Stamped on her mind with surprising clearness wsts the memory of the look, both ruthless and intent, which she had surprised upon the face of the spy during supper the previous night She had then divined an enemy which made her shrink. Yet here she was, to all seeming, in his power; and his manner was that of crushed servility.
 With determination to hear more, she oil hool to barf faa peremptory manner not at all usual to her.
 Come here!' she ordered; and when her first feeble cry did not reach him, she re- peated it more loudly. He started if shot, and came back, running if his legs were tied together. She noticed that he had bound his forehead with handkerchief, and wondered duly if he were hurt, but her own affairs must be first considered.
 "How did we come here?" she demanded "I suppose we were washed overboard?' z
 1T suppose so, Highness."
 And you do not know what became of the rest of the party"
 "N-no, Highness. I was-otherwise oc- cupied.'
 ''Then it is possible that they are all washed to shore, somewhere along this coast.''
 "It may be-"
 You had better go and search for them.'
 Pardon, Highness. l must get you into safety first. If you will allow it, we will use this boat which lies here, and l will row you to Water Gate.''
 You! You can't row.'' said the girl contemptuously.
 He himself was doubtful of getting far p1a if hut ho humbly-
 "I could try, Highness.
 To this folly she deigned no answer, but sat looking irresolute, increasingly conscious of her forlorn state, and of feeling more i'll than she had ever felt before in her strong young life. As no further orders seemed to be forthcoming Stepan turned away, and started to haul the boat, which he had sue ceeded in turning over, down the beach. His arms seemed weighted with lead, and he could hardly see what he did.
 Stop" cried his tyrant and he stopped.
 Do you suppose that I will trust myself on the water with man who doesn't know how to row."
 She broke off in the midst of her reproof; for Stepan, who had stood as before, meekly accepting her hectoring, now raised his head with a look half-incredulous joy.
 "Why, what's the matter?" she cried.
 "The beat of rowlocks Oars! A boat"' he called back in very different tones; has tening as best he could, down to the waters edge, with an oar in his hands, which he waved unsteadily about over his head. His cry sounded oddly like pean of triumph, and the boat came on at double its former xl.-1