"The distress and perplexity," she continued, "are not done with, but to-day a hand has been stretched to me out of the dark, and I must think, to some good end. It could not be otherwise," and she lifted her eyes to mine. I did not doubt their sincerity. "And--shall I tell you?" she continued with a frank smile. "I am glad, though I hardly know why--I am glad that the man who stretched out his hand was quite unknown to me and himself knew nothing of me, and had not so much as seen my face. He helps a woman, not _one_ woman. I am more grateful for that, I take it to be of good augury." And she held her hand to me. I took the hand; I was tempted to let her remain in her misapprehension. But sooner or later she would learn the truth, and it seemed to me best that she should learn something of it from me. "Madam," I said, "I should account myself happy if I could honestly agree, but I fear it was not on a woman's account that I travelled down to Tresco. Dick I think had something to do with it, but chiefly I came to do myself a service." "Well," she answered as she rose and crossed to the window "that may be. You are here at all events, in the house that is watched" and then she suddenly called me to her side. "Look," said she, "but keep well behind the curtain." I looked across the water to a brown pile of rocks which was named Norwithel, and beyond Norwithel over St. Helen's Pool to the island of St. Helen's. "Do you see?" she asked. I saw the bare rock, the purple heather of St. Helen's, to the right a wide shining beach of Tean, and to the left stretching out into the sea from the end of St. Helen's a low ridge of rocks like a paved causeway. I pointed to that causeway. "That is the Golden Ball Reef," said I. "Yes," she answered, "Dick told you the story. You would not see the reef, but that the tide is low. But it is not that I wanted to show you. See!" and she stretched out her hand towards the rock pile of Norwithel. I looked there again and at last I saw a man moving on the rocks close by the sea. "He is cutting the weed," said I. "That is the pretence," said she. "But so long as he stays there no one can enter this house without he knows, no one can go out without he knows." "Unless one goes in or out by the door I used." "That door is within view of the Castle Down. There will be some man smoking his pipe, stretched on the grass of the Castle Down." "You have never spoken to them?" "Yes! They wanted nothing of me. They only watch. I know for whom they watch. I could learn nothing by questioning them." "Have you asked Captain Hathaway's help?" Helen smiled. "No. What could he do? They do no one any hurt. They stand out of my way when I pass. And besides--I am afraid. I do not know. If these men were questioned closely by some one in authority, what story might they have to tell and what part in that story does Cullen play?"