"Yes. Why have you stayed?" Tortue threw himself on the ground and chewed at a stalk of grass. "I saved your life last night," said he. "I know. Why did you do it? Why did you cover my mistakes in that shed? Why did you cut the rope?" "Because you could serve my turn. The cross!" he exclaimed, with a flourish. "I do not want the cross." He looked at me steadily for an instant with his shrewd eyes. "I want a man to nail on the cross, and you can help me to him. Where is Cullen Mayle?" The words startled me all the more because there was no violence in the voice which spoke them--only a cold, deliberate resolution. I was nevermore thankful for the gift of ignorance than upon this occasion. I could assure him quite honestly, "I do not know." "But last night you knew." "I spoke of many things last night of which I had no knowledge--the cross, the plan----" "You knew where the plan was. Flesh! but you knew that!" "I guessed." "Guess, then, where Cullen Mayle is, and I'll be content." "I have no hint to prompt a guess." Tortue gave no sign of anger at my answer. He sat upon the grass, and looked with a certain sadness at the shed. "It does not, after all, take much more than a night to forget," said he. "I am telling you the truth, Tortue," said I, earnestly. "I do not know. I never met Cullen Mayle but once, and that was at a roadside inn. He stole my horse upon that occasion, so that I have no reason to bear him any goodwill." "But because of him you came down to Tresco?" said Tortue quickly. "No." Tortue looked at me doubtfully. Then he looked at the house, and "Ah! It was because of the girl." "No! No!" I answered vehemently. I could not explain to him why I had come, and fortunately he did not ask for an explanation. He just nodded his head, and stood up without another word. "I do not forget," said I pointing to the shed. "And if you should be in any need----" But I got no further in my offer of help; for he turned upon me suddenly, and anger at last had got the upper hand with him. "Money, is it not?" he cried, staring down at me with his eyes ablaze. "Ay, that's the way with gentlefolk! You would give me as much as a guinea no doubt--a whole round gold guinea. Yes, I am in need," and with a violent movement he clasped his hands together. "Virgin Mary, but I am in need of Cullen Mayle, and you offer me a guinea!" and then hunching his shoulders he strode off over the hill. So Helen Mayle's instinct was right. Out of the five men there was one who waited for Cullen's coming with another object than to secure the diamond cross. Would he continue to wait? I could not doubt that he would, when I thought upon his last vehement burst of passion. Tortue would wait upon Tresco, until, if Cullen did not come himself, some word of Cullen's whereabouts dropped upon his ear. It was still urgent, therefore, that Cullen Mayle should be warned, and if I was to go away in search of him, Helen must be warned too.