Devereaux and Liane stood side by side, watching the little boat shoot away over the dancing billows, leaving ripples of phosphorescent light in the wake of the oars. Then he turned and took her hand. "You had quite an adventure," he said. "Why, you are trembling like a leaf, poor child!" He felt like drawing her to his breast, and soothing her fears; but that would not be conventional. So he could only regard her with the tenderest pity and admiration, while clasping the trembling little hand as tight as he dared. Liane was so nervous she could not speak at first, and he continued gently: "It was rather imprudent for a young girl like you to be walking out alone after nightfall. Did you not know it, Miss Lester?" She faltered nervously: "Oh, yes, I knew it! I was frightened almost to death, but I--I could not help it!" "Why?" "My employer sent me on an errand to Cliffdene, and I was detained there until after dark." "They should have sent some one to see you safely home." "Yes," Liane answered, shivering, but not making any explanation. She hated in her simple, girlish pride to have him know how she had been treated by Roma Clarke. "I--I must be going now. Thank you ever so much for coming to my rescue," she added, stooping to gather her roses, that lay scattered on the sands. Jesse Devereaux helped her, and kept them, saying as he drew her little hand closely within his arm: "I will carry them and see you safe home." Arm in arm they paced along under the brilliant moonlight, with the solemn voice of the ocean in their ears. But they were heedless. They heard only the beating of their own excited hearts. The mere presence of this man, whom she had never met till to-day, filled Liane's innocent heart with ecstasy. To be near him like this, with her arm linked in his so close that she felt the quick throbbing of his disturbed heart; to meet the glances of his passionate, dark eyes, to hear the murmuring tones of his musical voice as he talked to her so kindly--oh, it was bliss such as she had never enjoyed before, but that she could have wished might go on now forever! He made her tell him all that the stranger had said to her, and Liane felt him give a quick start when Roma's name was mentioned, although he said lightly: "He must be some discarded lover of Miss Clarke." "Yes," she answered, and, raising her eyes, she saw near at hand the wretched shanty she called her home. How short their walk had been--barely a minute it seemed to the girl! But now they must part. She essayed to draw her hand from his clasping arm, murmuring: "I--I cannot let you go any farther with me, please! Granny does not allow me to walk out with--with gentlemen! She told me to come home alone!" Jesse Devereaux protested laughingly, but he soon saw that Liane was in terrible earnest, her face pale, her great eyes dilated with fear, her slender form shaking as with a chill.