Whitcomb turned like a flash and dropped back on the camp-stool. "What?" "We fixed it up this afternoon for all time." "_What!_" "Yes. It's a trite thing for a fellow to call himself the happiest man on earth, but Linda has given me back everything I had lost. I am as much a new man as if I had been created to-day." The quiet words thrilled through Whitcomb. He tried to answer and gulped. Tried again, and shook his friend's responsive hand. "You deserve it," was all he could manage to utter. "I want to go over there to-night, Freddy." "You can't walk that far." "Try me. I've never seen Miss Barry's cottage, and I--well, I can't stay away." "We'll walk over with you, then," said Whitcomb gravely. He walked toward Madge and called her, and she came springing across the grass. "Ho for the rock?" she cried gayly. "No. King wants to go to Miss Barry's. He thinks he's up to it. We'll walk over with him." The three moved away across the enchanted field. The night was hushed. Even the tide whispered. Not yet sounded the _crescendo_ which would culminate at midnight in a crashing, magnificent choral. Madge scented something novel in the mental atmosphere. Her companions were grateful for her easy chatter. When they neared the shingled cottage she protested tentatively. "Oh, do we have to go into the house on such a glorious night?" "You and I are not going in," answered Whitcomb quietly. They stood a moment near the piazza steps. "Good-night, King." The two men shook hands. "I think that is Linda now over there in the hammock. Give my love to her, will you?" "I will." Above the dazzle of golden water and under the pulsing beat of the stars, King moved up the steps. There was a stir in the shadow at the end of the piazza and in a moment one word sounded on the still air. "Bertram!" The voice and its tone wrenched some deeply rooted fiber in Whitcomb's being and all his blood seemed trying to rush at once to his heart. Madge, too, heard the revealing joy of the single word. As they turned to walk back, her clinging silken draperies stirred, and she slipped her hand through her companion's arm, and clasped it. "It's a vast sea," she said softly.