"I?I beg your pardon," be siam
mered, lifting hie white canvas bat
'I th >ogbt I had the Island to myself."
"I wish you lind." said Amelia plain?
tively; "the turn of the rids Is re
Mo for my presence here."
'?.Mine too. I became interested in
this confoo . and I wris doz?
ing comfortably when the water crept
around my ankle-; and woke me up."
? 'imped viciously upon tin- i
?lume and cast J* Zrom him. "I
" there ls do escape until 3 or
ck."
"Xoiie," sighed Amelia, "ami nothing
to eat"'
"Wait; we'll see about that." The
stranger disappeared behind the dune,
mid Mella saw him making basie to?
ward I he narrow Inlet.
"How sh...ked Aunt Toni would be
if she could see me talking to a per?
fect stranger, but?I am quite rare be
ls a gentleman, and be must be Staying
? of tiie plantations near hy. His
face ls familiar, and yet"?
He came around the dune and sat
down on the sand beside her. "I hope
you will share my luncheon." he said
rnsly. "A thoughtful aunt pre?
pared it for me against possible star
ration between an s o'clock breakfast
and a 12:30 luncheon." Ile opened the
which he had
a snowy iiiagei,
"You're awfully kind," murmured
Amelia hungrily. "I hope I'm not rob?
bing you."
"Xor In the least. We ure easta
wayi and must make the best of the
food we have saved," he s;iid gayly.
