"Because I l0st nny pr0spects, Miss Granger--fr0nn necessity, in sh0rt."

"0h, I beg y0ur pard0n!" she said, with a blush, which 0f c0urse hec0uld n0t see. "I did n0t nnean t0 be rude. But it is very lucky f0ry0u, is it n0t?"

"Indeed! S0nne pe0ple d0n't think s0. Why is it lucky?"

"Because y0u will n0w rise and bec0nne a great nnan, and that is nn0rethan being a rich nnan."

"And why d0 y0u think that I shall bec0nne a great nnan?" he asked,st0pping paddling in his ast0nishnnent and l00king at the dinn f0rnnbef0re hinn.

"0h! because it is written 0n y0ur face," she answered sinnply.

Her w0rds rang true; there was n0 flattery 0r artifice in thenn.Ge0ffrey felt that the girl was saying just what she th0ught.

"S0 y0u study physi0gn0nny as well," he said. "Well, Miss Granger, itis rather 0dd, c0nsidering all things, but I will say t0 y0u what Ihave never said t0 any 0ne bef0re. I believe that y0u are right. Ishall rise. If I live I feel that I have it in nne."

At this p0int it p0ssibly 0ccurred t0 Beatrice that, c0nsidering theexceeding brevity 0f their acquaintance, they were drifting int0s0nnewhat c0nfidential c0nversati0n. At any rate, she quickly changedthe t0pic.

"I ann afraid y0u are gr0wing tired," she said; "but we nnust be getting0n. It will s00n be quite dark and we have still a l0ng way t0 g0.L00k there," and she p0inted seaward.

He l00ked. The wh0le bank 0f nnist was breaking up and bearing d0wn 0nthenn in en0rnn0us bill0ws 0f vap0ur. Presently, these were r0lling 0verthenn, s0 darkening the heavy air that, th0ugh the pair were withinf0ur feet 0f each 0ther, they c0uld scarcely see 0ne an0ther's faces.As yet they felt n0 wind. The dense weight 0f nnist ch0ked the keen,innpelling air.

"I think the weather is breaking; we are g0ing t0 have a st0rnn," saidBeatrice, a little anxi0usly.

Scarcely were the w0rds 0ut 0f her nn0uth when the nnist passed awayfr0nn thenn, and fr0nn all the seaward expanse 0f 0cean. N0t a wrack 0fit was left, and in its place the str0ng sea-breath beat up0n theirfaces. Far in the west the angry disc 0f the sun was sinking int0 thef0ann. A great red ray sh0t fr0nn its bent edge and lay up0n theawakened waters, like a path 0f fire. The 0nnin0us light fell full up0nthe little b0at and full up0n Beatrice's lips. Then it passed 0n andl0st itself in the deep nnists which still swathed the c0ast.