Thank God, he had gone no farther! There was only one way of escape from the perpetual fire of temptation--to hasten his marriage with Bessie Collister. He must see her as soon as possible and suggest that they should marry immediately. It was heart-breaking, but there was no help for it, if he was to stand upright as an honourable man. Dan Baldromma? Well, what of him? He could shut the door on Dan--of course he could! Next morning Stowell was the first on deck. The air was salt and chill; the day had not yet opened its eyes; there was a whirring of wings and a calling of sea-birds; and through a sleepy white mist, that might have been the smoke of the moon, the herring fleet were coming like pale ghosts back to harbour. A fresh breeze sprang up with the sunrise and the Captain lifted anchor and stood out towards the south. Sheep were bleating on the head-land of Contrary, and as they opened the broad bay of the Niarbyl the thatched cottages under the cliffs were smoking for breakfast. When they reached Port Erin the Governor came up and ordered anchor to be cast again, saying they would lie there and go out with the herring fleet in the evening. Seeing his opportunity, Stowell said he would like to go ashore for a few hours--a little business. "Mind you're back by four o'clock then--we'll sail at high-water." As Stowell was being sculled ashore in the dinghy he was saying to himself: "No Kate Kinrade for me--never, never!" III An hour later Stowell was in Derby Haven, a little fishing village, smelling of sea-wrack and echoing with the cry of gulls. The Misses Brown, in their oiled ringlets and faded satin dresses, received him, in their old maids' sitting-room, with much ceremony, and he speedily realised that Gell, in trying to shield him, had gone farther than he expected. "You wish to see Miss Collister? Well, since you are such a close friend of Mr. Gell there can be no objection.... Bessie! A gentleman to see you." Stowell heard Bessie coming downstairs with great alacrity, but on seeing him she drew up with a certain embarrassment. "Oh, it's you?" She was shorter than he had thought, and the impression made by her photograph of something common in her beauty was deepened by the reality. "Should we take a walk?" he said. She hesitated for a moment, then went upstairs and returned presently in a round hat and a close-fitting costume which sat awkwardly upon her. What a change! Where was the free, warm, natural, full-bosomed girl with bare neck and sunburnt arms who had fascinated him in the glen? They took the unfrequented path on the western side of Langness--a long serpentine tongue of land which protruded from the open mouth of the sea. He tried to begin upon the subject of his errand but found it impossible to do so. "Bye and bye," he thought, "bye and bye."