" She spoke in a
weird, despairing tone.
"And you have known me but a few hours."
"Yes, I have known you to speak to you but a few hours, and
yet I have come to believe that all the dreams of my life
center in you."
The young man advanced and seized the girl's hand; the latter
made no effort to withdraw it from his firm grasp.
"Renie," he said, "you need have no fear, I am not destined to
die at the hands of the smugglers. I am assigned to a certain
duty, the opportunity to fulfill my mission is now presented.
I shall go on the yacht to-night, but when she returns I will
return with her!"
"You are determined to go?"
"I am."
"I shall say no more, but I shall watch."
"Yes, Renie, do so; and when the yacht comes sailing up the
bay, you may know that I come on her."
"I shall not watch for the return of the yacht," said the girl
in a sad, despairing tone.
"What will you do?"
"Wait on the beach to see what the waves will bring me. If,
when the deed is done, the tide be flowing in, I may gain
something from the waves; but if the tide is on the ebb, I
shall never gaze on your face again."
There was no mistaking the girl's weird meaning, and her words
were practical, as she well knew the results which under
certain circumstances might follow the tidal conditions.
Spencer Vance saw that it was useless to waste further words
with Renie and he said
"A few hours will tell the tale, Renie, and--"
The detective did not complete the sentence; voices were heard
and Renie exclaimed:
"You and I must not be seen talking together; farewell, and if
we never meet again on earth, may we meet where there are no
clouds, no shadows, no mysteries.
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