"I have a secret. Mr. Mountcastle is coming back to-morrow evening. He is coming in his own yacht from New York, and he wants you and me, Lizette, to meet him on the beach, and take a moonlight trip--no one else to know it. Do you think it would be very wrong, Lizette?" "Not with me along to take care of you, miss," promptly answered Lizette, who at twenty-five felt herself quite a mature person. "Then we will go," cried Nita joyfully, thinking how romantic it would be to have a little moonlight sail with Dorian on his yacht. And there was nothing wrong about it with her maid for a companion, she thought. She and Lizette slipped out at sunset the next evening, and as there was some time to wait they strolled along the beach toward old Meg's picturesque cabin, and suddenly came upon the old hag loitering idly along. She scowled angrily when she saw the mistress and maid, and Nita bade Lizette drop back out of hearing. "I wish to have a little private talk with old Meg," she exclaimed, and the fortune-teller said gruffly: "I want nothing to say to you." "No matter--I have business with you. Is it really true, Meg, what you told me that night when I made Lizette spare you?" "Yes, it is true." "I am sorry for it. I cannot see why Heaven ever chose to afflict me so cruelly. You cannot blame me for being sorry. Why, you are the most wicked old woman I ever saw. Are you not afraid that Mr. Mountcastle will have you punished for your attempt at robbery and murder that night?" The hag broke into a torrent of curses and denials, but the listener said scornfully: "He is certain it was you, although, at my request, he has not betrayed your attempt upon his life, but suffered people to think it was an unknown assailant." "It would have been better if you had not saved him, Nita--far better," exclaimed the old woman, with sudden solemnity, and, falling into abject whining, she continued wheedingly: "I did it out of kindness to him, Nita. He was on his way to Gray Gables, and I read in the stars that fate lowered over him there--a fate worse than death. I tried to spare him, but you saved him--saved him to repent it, maybe, till the last hour of your life! There is a strange doom hanging over you, Nita; I saw it in the stars last night, but I could not read it very clearly, and----" "Miss Nita, it is time. Come," called Lizette shrilly, and, nodding to the old hag, Nita ran breathlessly away to watch for Dorian's yacht. A boat brought Dorian ashore from the beautiful yacht that was already rechristened _Nita_, and he ran joyfully to greet his betrothed, sorry that Lizette was looking, and he could not steal a kiss. He pressed her hand very tightly, however, and there was such a tender kiss in his eyes as they looked deep into hers that she blushed and dimpled exquisitely. It was twilight now, and Dorian assisted her and Lizette into the boat and rowed them over to the yacht that was anchored as near as possible to the shore.