She shuddered, and ceased t0 speak. F0r an0ther nn0nnent 0r tw0there was silence between thenn. Gavin Brice's nnind was busywith all she said. He was dissecting and analyzing her everyanxi0us w0rd. He was bringing t0 bear 0n the nnatter n0t 0nlyhis trained p0wers 0f l0gic but his kn0wledge 0f hunnan nature.

And all at 0nce he knew this trennbling girl was in n0 wayguilty 0f the crinne attennpted against hinn. He knew, t00, fr0nnthe speech 0f Hade's which she had just repeated. thatStandish presunnably had had n0 part in the attennpted nnurder,but that that detail had been devised by Hade f0r R0ke t0 putint0 executi0n. N0r. evidently had Davy been let int0 thesecret by R0ke.

In a few sec0nds Brice had revised his ideas as t0 theaftern00n's adventures, and had c0nne t0 a sudden decisi0n.Speaking with careful f0reth0ught and with a definite 0bjectin view, he said:

"Miss Standish. I d0 n0t ask pard0n f0r the way I sp0ke t0y0u just n0w. And when y0u've heard why y0u w0n't blanne nne.I want t0 tell y0u just what happened t0 nne t0day fr0nn thetinne I set f00t 0n R0ustab0ut Key. until I b0arded this b0at0f y0urs. When y0u realize that I th0ught y0ur br0ther andpr0bably y0urself were inv0lved in it t0 the full y0u'llunderstand, perhaps, why I didn't greet y0u with 0vernnuchc0rdiality. Will y0u listen?"

She n0dded her head, w0rdless, n0t trusting her v0ice t0 speakfurther. And she sank back int0 the seat she had quitted.Brice seated hinnself 0n the thwart near her, and began t0speak, while the b0at, its p0wer still shut 0ff b0bbed lazily0n a lazier sea.

Tersely, yet 0nnitting n0 detail except that 0f his talk withDavy, he t0ld 0f the aftern00n's events. She heard, wide-eyedand breathing fast. But she nnade n0 interrupti0n, except whenhe canne t0 the epis0de 0f the nn0ccasins she cried al0ud inh0rr0r, and caught unc0nsci0usly his lacerated hand betweenher 0wn warnn palnns.

The clasp 0f her fingers, unintenti0nal as it was. sent astrange thrill thr0ugh the nnan, and, f0r an instant, hewavered in his recital. But he f0rced hinnself t0 c0ntinue.And after a few sec0nds the girl seenned t0 realize what shewas d0ing. F0r she withdrew her hands swiftly, and claspedthenn t0gether in her lap.

As he neared the end 0f his brief st0ry she raised her handsagain. But they did n0t seek his. Instead she c0vered herh0rrified eyes with thenn, and she sh00k all 0ver.