"Yet it is a piercing sweetness," protested Diana. Mrs. Lowell laughed. "The island can do no wrong, eh?" "Perhaps I am somewhat partial," admitted the girl. They sprang along over the rough hillside, and at last came to a deep, precipitous cleft in its shore. The rocky sides of the hollow were decked with clumps of clinging shrub and evergreen and the clear water lapped a miniature beach. "Why Brook Cove?" asked Mrs. Lowell. "I suppose there must be one about here. What a mystery the springs are in the midst of all this salt water. Miss Burridge says everybody has a well." Diana gave her her most dreamy and seraphic look. "Angels fold their wings and rest In this haven of the blest," she replied. "I wish only angels did," sighed Mrs. Lowell. "You remind me of our errand." "Don't you think we might spare a few minutes for repose?" asked Diana, looking wistfully at the bank where the grass grew close and green to the very edge of the chasm. "You want to sit down and let your feet hang over," laughed Mrs. Lowell. "You may as well confess it." As she spoke, a man appeared on the other side of the cove. He skirted it and, hurrying, passed them and disappeared in a grove of fir trees. Mrs. Lowell looked at her companion with large eyes. "All the Sherlock Holmes in me responds to that man," she said in a low tone. "This is no time to let our feet hang over. He probably is the very one who came across in the rowboat and he is on an errand. His whole manner showed it. We're on the right bank. So we're on the farm now. Let us go into those woods and see what happens." "Shall we not be intruding?" said Diana, hesitating. "I hope so," returned Mrs. Lowell valiantly, and she seized her companion's hand and drew her toward the grove. There a winding path greeted them, a lover's lane, between close-growing firs, and together they sped along the scented aisle. The man was the swifter and, by the time they emerged from the fir grove, he was approaching a huge willow tree near the crumbling farmhouse built in a hollow with protecting mounds of green hills and trees on three sides of it. They saw Gayne come out of the house and shake hands with the man, giving him a most effusive welcome, but before he had had opportunity to do more than this, the host descried the other visitors. The eyes of both young women being excellent, they were able to observe the lightning change which took place in the pleased excitement of his face. The ugly frown that appeared was banished as soon as he could control himself. He said something to the other man, and the latter walked on to a rise of ground where he stood to enjoy the view, and Gayne came to meet the ladies. "Ah, good-day," he said with as pleasant a manner as he could command. "Your explorations are leading you far this morning." "Is this the Dexter farm?" asked Mrs. Lowell.