Part 23 (2/2)

Like some herald of a phantom day, a great radiance flushed the horizon-it was the moon rising far out to sea. It was then that Hillary looked into the girl's eyes and said tenderly: ”Is this to be the end, dearest?”

”I'll go anywhere with you,” said Gabrielle.

A soft drift of wind came across the hot seas, ruffled the gla.s.sy deep swell of the ocean, blowing Gabrielle's tresses out as she stood there.

Nor did the torn blue blouse, the dilapidated shoes and her jungle-scratched face impair her beauty.

Gabrielle simply pressed her lips to his and repeated: ”I'll go wherever you go.”

It was not till then that Hillary realised the soundness of Ulysses'

advice. A moment before in his dreamy, melancholy mood he had thought of putting out to sea with Gabrielle in an old canoe which he had found among the reefs. It would make so romantic a climax to their adventure: he had thought of the mysterious and wonderful sh.o.r.es on which they might find themselves driven by the sea, without chart or compa.s.s.

Gabrielle said she would go wherever he went. Well, after all, they would make their way to the small white settlement, and see what turned up then. Hillary would probably be able to find a s.h.i.+p to take him and Gabrielle away. And then-and then.

He turned again to the girl who was still staring out to sea.

”Are you ready?” he said, rousing himself. ”For it seems to me the first thing we've got to do is a good long tramp. That'll bring us to the settlement. Don't you want to see people who are more or less civilised once again?”

”Of course I do. But when you said that about going away with you wherever you went, I thought-I thought you meant--” She hesitated.

”Oh! so you thought that,” said Hillary. ”Well, never mind. Come, we ought to make a move. And as we go you can tell me of everything that's happened.” His face darkened. ”Gabrielle,” he added a moment later, ”you know that I always believed in you.”

”Yes,” she added simply. ”And-and, Hillary, thank G.o.d you _were_ in time to rescue me from that Rajah Macka. Oh, if you had been too late!”

Hillary for a moment turned away, his eyes wet with emotion. He had feared such unutterable things.

”Yes,” he said, his voice hardly steady; ”thank G.o.d, we were in time.

What an adventure it has been. But now everything seems to have come right again. And I've got you for always, haven't I?” he added. And the wind, singing in the palms, drifted a tress of Gabrielle's hair against his face as they stood there gazing on the great moonlit ocean before them.

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