"Wait a minute! Wait a minute! Let's have a squint at you." He lit a match with his thumb-nail. Quick as thought Pen blew out the flame. The young fellow laughed. Pen tried to dart by him. He flung out an arm and gathered her in. She struggled in silent desperation. "Young and souple as willow, I swear," laughed the man. "What you got so much clothes on for? ... Gee! you smell as sweet as honeysuck'!" Pen beat his face with her clenched fists. He simply lowered his head laughing, and clung to her. She had a sickening feeling of helplessness, and she dared not call for help. It was all over in half a minute. She heard running footsteps from the direction of the camp, and felt herself suddenly released. The newcomer was Don. "What's this?" he cried with an oath that startled Pen--and charmed her. "Hell, I didn't know it was your propitty, Jones," the other man said sullenly. "Damn you...!" Pen apprehended a blow about to be given, and as in a flash, the ghastly consequences of a fight there, were revealed to her. She flung her arms around Don, and clung to him without speaking. He understood. He conquered his rage with a groan. "Well ... get out!" he said thickly. The other man melted away into the dark. Pen and Don clung to each other. Of the two the man was the more shaken. Moments passed before he could speak. Then: "Oh my girl! my girl!" "It is nothing," Pen said. "I am not made of glass." "My fault because I was late," he groaned. "I couldn't get rid of those fellows I was with." "I am safe," Pen said. "Forget about it. I have something to tell you. There is little time." They started to walk slowly away from the direction of the camp. Pen repeated Blanche Paglar's letter to him word for word. It arrested his attention, and he quieted down. When they found themselves drawing too near the lighthouse, they turned and came slowly back, Don straining Pen against his side. When she had described her problem, Don said instantly: "There's just one thing to do. You must give me up to Riever and collect the reward." Pen's breast contracted sharply. She bitterly blamed herself. Why had she not foreseen that this was what he would say. She couldn't answer. "How about it?" he asked. "I couldn't!" she murmured. "But if it's the best thing to do?" "I simply couldn't!" "Listen, dearest, we must think this thing clean through to the end. These people in New York seem to have started something. Well, that being so, this seems to me as good an opportunity as any, for me to come out and put up my fight." "I must find out first how much they've learned." "She says it is not complete. But they've started something. They seem to be on the level with us. We must back them up before the trail grows cold." "I could find another way of raising the money."