Trembling, her eyes dilated with horror, Louise Vine stood watching the dimly-seen pleading face for some moments before her lips could form words, and her reason tell her that it was rank folly and superstition to stand trembling there. "Harry!" she whispered, "alone? yes." "Hah!" he ejaculated, and thrusting in his hands he climbed into the room. Louise gazed wildly at the rough-looking figure in sea-stained old pea-jacket and damaged cap, hair unkempt, and a hollow look in eye and cheek that, joined with the ghastly colourless skin, was quite enough to foster the idea that this was one risen from the grave. "Don't be scared," he said harshly, "I'm not dead after all." "Harry! my darling brother." That was all in words, but with a low, moaning cry Louise had thrown her soft arms about his neck and covered his damp cold face with her kisses, while the tears streamed down her cheeks. "Then there is some one left to--My darling sis!" He began in a half-cynical way, but the genuine embrace was contagious, and clasping her to his breast, he had to fight hard to keep back his own tears and sobs as he returned her kisses. Then the fugitive's dread of the law and of discovery reasserted itself, and pushing her back, he said quickly-- "Where is father?" "At Mr Van Heldre's. Let me--" "Hush! answer my questions. Where is Aunt Marguerite?" "Gone to bed, dear." "And the servants?" "In the kitchen. They will not come without I ring. But, Harry-- brother--we thought you dead--we thought you dead." "Hush! Louie, for Heaven's sake! You'll ruin me," he whispered, as she burst into a fit of uncontrollable sobbing, so violent at times that he grew alarmed. "We thought you dead--we thought you dead." It was all she could say as she clung to him, and looked wildly from door to window and back. "Louie!" he whispered at last passionately, "I must escape. Be quiet, or you will be heard." By a tremendous effort she mastered her emotion, and tightening her grasp upon him, she set her teeth hard, compressed her lips, and stood with contracted brow gazing in his eyes. "Now?" he said, "can you listen?" She nodded her head, and her wild eyes seemed so questioning, that he said quickly-- "I can't tell you much. You know I can swim well." She nodded silently. "Well, I rose after my dive and let the current carry me away till I swam ashore three miles away, and I've been in hiding in one of the zorns." "Oh, my brother!" she answered. "Waiting till it was safe to come out." "But, Harry!" she paused; "we--my father--we all believed you dead. How could you be so--" She stopped. "Cruel?" he said firmly. "Wouldn't it have been more cruel to be dragged off to prison and disgrace you more?" "But--" "Hush! I tell you I have been in hiding. They think me dead?" "Yes; they found you--" "Hush, I tell you. I have no time to explain. Let them go on thinking me dead." "But, Harry!" she cried; "my poor broken-hearted father--Madelaine."