No: he passed, still rollicking. He was not mocking her: he was tossing off his chest in cascades of giant laughter the seas that had so long threatened to overwhelm him, tossing them off into the blue in showers of spray. _I am free once more_! that was what his laughter said. She sat up: she knelt: warily she peeped over the green wall. His back was moving solidly away in the evening, his back with the swag on it. He reached the flag-staff and dropped away down into Hodcombe, that lies between Beau-nez and the Belle-tout light-house. She watched him till only his round dark head was visible. Then that too disappeared. She rose and filled her chest as the breeze slowly fills the sails of a ship that has long hovered uncertainly in stays. He too was gone--into _IT_. That Other was gone--like the rest--and the past with him. How queer it all was! and how differently each man had met the huge tidal wave that had swept the whole world off its feet! Joe, paddling in the muddy shallows, had been caught up, and was swimming easily now on the crest of it. Alf, snatched up unawares as he grubbed for bait upon the flats, had been tumbled over and over like a pebble, smashed down upon the remorseless beach, and drawn back with a sickening scream by the undersuck into the murderous riot of it. Last of all, Ern, asleep and snoring under the sunny sea-wall, had risen suddenly, girded on his strength, and waded out to meet it with rejoicing heart. Dear Ern! Sinking down into the harbourage of this deep and quiet covert where, under the stars, all his children, conceived in ecstasy, had come to her, she took out his letter, opened it, and began to read. It was dated _In the train_, and began full of affection for her and the children. "Now we made it up I don't mind what comes. I feel like it was a new beginning. There's a lot of married men joined up feel the very same. I feel uplifted like and that whatever comes nothing can ever come atween us no more really. Even when it was dark I felt that--that it wasn't _really real_ between us--only a shadow like that would surely pass away--as it has passed away--thank God for His great mercies." There followed love and kisses to all the children and especially little Alice, underlined, and fraternal greetings to old Joe. "We shall push em back where they belong all right, I expect. And if we don't I shall send for him to lend a shove. He's all right, old Joe is. There's not many of em I'd trust, but you can trust him. I knew that all along." The letter finished, "It's an end and a beginning, as old dad says. And whatever else _that's_ finished, and I don't care." It was true too. She folded the letter and slipped it in her bosom. The second volume of her life had ended, and ended well. The sudden hand of destiny had reached forth to save her, to save the children, to save Ernie, to save Joe. Had she ever wavered?--Who shall say?--Perhaps she could not say herself.