"You will not quit the island to-morrow," said Tardif, standing at his
door, and scanning the sky with his keen, weather-wise eyes.

"I must," I answered; "I must indeed, old fellow. You are no
land-lubber, and you will run me over in the morning."

"No boat will leave Sark to-morrow," said Tardif, shaking his head.

We went in, and he threw off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves,
preparatory to frying some fish for supper. I was beginning to feel
ravenously hungry, for I had eaten nothing since dinner, and as far as I
knew Tardif had had nothing since his early breakfast, but as a
fisherman he was used to long spells of fasting. While he was busy
cooking I stole quietly into the inner room to look after my patient.

The feeble light entering by the door, which I left open, showed me the
old woman comfortably asleep in her chair, but not so the girl. I had
told her when I laid her down that she must lie quite still, and she was
obeying me implicitly. Her cheek still rested upon my handkerchief, and
the broken arm remained undisturbed upon the pillow which I had placed
under it. But her eyes were wide open and shining in the dimness, and I
fancied I could see her lips moving incessantly, though soundlessly. I
laid my hand across her eyes, and felt the long lashes brush against the
palm, but the eyelids did not remain closed.

"You must go to sleep," I said, speaking distinctly and authoritatively;
wondering at the time how much power my will would have over her. Did I
possess any of that magnetic, tranquillizing influence about which Jack
Senior and I had so often laughed incredulously at Guy's? Her lips