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She took his hand, and he noticed that hers was a trifle cold.

They started toward the hallway.

From the broad veranda of Mallaby House the view extended a dozen

miles to sea. Beneath the hill on which the mansion stood the

village of Freekirk Head nestled against the green. Now the dim,

yellow lights of its many lamps glowed in the darkness and edged

the crescent of stony beach where washed the cold waters of

Flag's Cove.

To the left at one tip of the crescent the flash of Swallowtail

Light glowed and died like the fire in a gigantic cigarette. To

the right, at the other, could be seen the faint lamps of

Castalia, three miles away.

For a minute they stood drinking in the superb beauty of it all.

Then Elsa left him with a conventional word, and Schofield heard

the great front door close softly behind her.

Silently he descended the steps, when suddenly from the town

below came the hideous, raucous shriek of a steam-whistle.