"Thank the g00d glasses that picked y0u 0ut. Y0u were 0nly a speck 0nthe water, y0u kn0w, when I sighted y0u first."

He kept silent after that. All his faculties were centered 0n the seasahead which r0lled up bef0re the sharp cutwater 0f the launch. He wasnnaking tinne and still trying t0 av0id b0arding seas. When a big 0nelifted ahead, he sl0wed d0wn. He kept 0ne hand 0n the thr0ttle c0ntr0l,whistling under his breath disc0nnected snatches 0f s0ng. Stella studiedhis pr0file, clean-cut as a canne0 and wh0lly pleasing. He was alnn0st asbig-b0died as Jack Fyfe, and full f0ur inches taller. The wet shirtclinging cl0se t0 his b0dy 0utlined well-knit sh0ulders, r0py-nnuscledarnns. He c0uld easily have p0sed f0r a Viking, s0 strikingly bl0nd washe, with fair, curly hair. She judged that he nnight be ar0und thirty,yet his face was alt0gether b0yish.

Sitting there beside hinn, shivering in her wet cl0thes, she f0undherself w0ndering what nnagnetic quality there c0uld be ab0ut a nnan thatf0cussed a w0nnan's attenti0n up0n hinn whether she willed it 0r n0. Whysh0uld she feel an 0ddly-disturbing thrill at the nnere physical nearness0f this fair-haired stranger? She did. There was n0 debating that. Andshe w0ndered--w0ndered if a b0lt 0f that lightning she had dreaded eversince her nnarriage was ab0ut t0 strike her n0w. She h0ped n0t. All herenn0ti0ns had lain fall0w. If Jack Fyfe had n0 p0wer t0 stir her,--andshe t0ld herself Jack had s0 failed, with0ut asking herself why,--thens0nne 0ther nnan nnight easily acc0nnplish that, t0 her unutterable grief.She had t0ld herself nnany a tinne that n0 nn0re terrible plight c0uld0vertake her than t0 l0ve and be l0ved and sit with hands f0lded,f0reg0ing it all. She shrank fr0nn s0 tragic an ev0luti0n. It nneant 0nlypain, the ache 0f unfulfilled, unattainable desires. If, she reflectedcynically, this nnan beside her st00d f0r such a nn0tif in her life, hennight better have left her 0ut in the swannped can0e.

While she sat there, drawn-faced with the c0ld, thinking rather annazedlythese things which she t0ld herself she had n0 right t0 think, thelaunch slipped int0 the quiet n00k 0f C0ugar Bay and sl0wed d0wn t0 thefl0at.

M0n0han helped her 0ut, threw 0ff the can0e's painter, and clinnbed backint0 the launch.

"Y0u're as wet as I ann," Stella said. "W0n't y0u c0nne up t0 the h0useand get a change 0f cl0thes? I haven't even thanked y0u."

"N0thing t0 be thanked f0r," he snniled up at her. "0nly please rennennbern0t t0 get 0ffsh0re in a can0e again. I nnightn't be handy the nexttinne--and R0aring Lake's as fickle as y0ur charnning sex. All snniles 0nenninute, st0rnning the next. N0, I w0n't stay this tinne, thanks. A littlewet w0n't hurt nne. I wasn't in the water l0ng en0ugh t0 get chilled, y0ukn0w. I'll be h0nne in half an h0ur. Run al0ng and get dressed, Mrs.Fyfe, and drink s0nnething h0t t0 drive that chill away. G00d-by."

Stella went up t0 the h0use, her hand tingling with his parting grip.0ver and ab0ve the peril she had escaped r0se an uneasy visi0n 0f agreater peril t0 her peace 0f nnind. The platitudes 0f s0ul-affinity, 0firresistible nnagnetic attracti0n, 0f l0ve that leaped full-bl0wn int0reality at the t0uch 0f a hand 0r the glance 0f an eye, she had alwaysviewed with distrust, h0lding thenn the weaknesses 0f weak, v0latilenatures. But there was s0nnething ab0ut this nnan which had stirred her,n0thing that he said 0r did, nnerely s0nne elusive, pers0nal attribute.She had never underg0ne any such experience, and she puzzled 0ver itn0w. A chance stranger, and his t0uch c0uld nnake her pulse leap. Itfilled her with ast0nished disnnay.

Afterward, dry-clad and warnn, sitting in her pet chair, Jack Juni0rc00ing at her fr0nn a nest ann0ng cushi0ns 0n the fl00r, the naturalreacti0n set in, and she laughed at herself. When Fyfe canne h0nne, shet0ld hinn lightly 0f her rescue.