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the conspiracy to keep her in the dark。 She had returned slowly to the
boat…house doorway； and she was standing alone on the threshold； looking
out。 Approaching her to lead her to the luncheon…table； Mrs。 Crayford
could hear that she was speaking softly to herself。 She was repeating the
farewell words which Richard Wardour had spoken to her at the ball。
〃'A time may come when I shall forgive _you_。 But the man who has
robbed me of you shall rue the day when you and he first met。' Oh； Frank！
Frank！ does Richard still live； with your blood on his conscience； and my
image in his heart？〃
Her lips suddenly closed。 She started； and drew back from the
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doorway； trembling violently。 Mrs。 Crayford looked out at the quiet
seaward view。
〃Anything there that frightens you； my dear？〃 she asked。 〃I can see
nothing； except the boats drawn up on the beach。〃
〃_I_ can see nothing either； Lucy。〃
〃And yet you are trembling as if there was something dreadful in the
view from this door。〃
〃There _is_ something dreadful！ I feel it； though I see nothing。 I feel it；
nearer and nearer in the empty air； darker and darker in the sunny light。 I
don't know what it is。 Take me away！ No。 Not out on the beach。 I can't
pass the door。 Somewhere else！ somewhere else！〃
Mrs。 Crayford looked round her； and noticed a second door at the inner
end of the boat…house。 She spoke to her husband。
〃See where that door leads to； William。〃
Crayford opened the door。 It led into a desolate inclosure； half garden；
half yard。 Some nets stretched on poles were hanging up to dry。 No other
objects were visiblenot a living creature appeared in the place。 〃It doesn't
look very inviting； my dear；〃 said Mrs。 Crayford。 〃I am at your service；
however。 What do you say？〃
She offered her arm to Clara as she spoke。 Clara refused it。 She took
Crayford's arm； and clung to him。
〃I'm frightened； dreadfully frightened！〃 she said to him； faintly。 〃You
keep with mea woman is no protection； I want to be with you。〃 She
looked round again at the boat…house doorway。 〃Oh！〃 she whispered； 〃I'm
cold all overI'm frozen with fear of this place。 Come into the yard！ Come
into the yard！〃
〃Leave her to me；〃 said Crayford to his wife。 〃I will call you； if she
doesn't get better in the open air。〃
He took her out at once； and closed the yard door behind them。
〃Mr。 Steventon； do you understand this？〃 asked Mrs。 Crayford。 〃What
can she possibly be frightened of？〃
She put the question； still looking mechanically at the door by which
her husband and Clara had gone out。 Receiving no reply； she glanced
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round at Steventon。 He was standing on the opposite side of the luncheon…
table； with his eyes fixed attentively on the view from the main doorway
of the boat…house。 Mrs。 Crayford looked where Steventon was looking。
This time there was something visible。 She saw the shadow of a human
figure projected on the stretch of smooth yellow sand in front of the boat…
house。
In a moment more the figure appeared。 A man came slowly into view；
and stopped on the threshold of the door。
Chapter 18。
The man was a sinister and terrible object to look at。 His eyes glared
like the eyes of a wild animal； his head was bare； his long gray hair was
torn and tangled； his miserable garments hung about him in rags。 He stood
in the doorway； a speechless figure of misery and want； staring at the well…
spread table like a hungry dog。
Steventon spoke to him。
〃Who are you？〃
He answered； in a hoarse； hollow voice；
〃A starving man。〃
He advanced a few steps； slowly and painfully； as if he were sinking
under fatigue。 〃Throw me some bones from the table；〃 he said。 〃Give me
my share along with the dogs。〃
There was madness as well as hunger in his eyes while he spoke those
words。 Steventon placed Mrs。 Crayford behind him； so that he might be
easily able to protect her in case of need； and beckoned to two sailors who
were passing the door of the boat…house at the time。
〃Give the man some bread and meat；〃 he said； 〃and wait near him。〃
The outcast seized on the bread and meat with lean； long…nailed hands
that looked like claws。 After his first mouthful of the food； he stopped；
considered vacantly with himself； and broke the bread and meat into two
portions。 One portion he put into an old canvas wallet that hung over his
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shoulder； the other he devoured voraciously。 Steventon questioned him。
〃Where do you come from？〃
〃From the sea。〃
〃Wrecked？〃
〃Yes。〃
Steventon turned to Mrs。 Crayford。
〃There may be some truth in the poor wretch's story；〃 he said。 〃I heard
something of a strange boat having been cast on the beach thirty or forty
miles higher up the coast。 When were you wrecked； my man？〃
The starving creature looked up from his food； and made an effort to
collect his thoughtsto exert his memory。 It was not to be done。 He gave
up the attempt in despair。 His language； when he spoke； was as wild as his
looks。
〃I can't tell you；〃 he said。 〃I can't get the wash of the sea out of my
ears。 I can't get the shining stars all night； and the burning sun all day； out
of my brain。 When was I wrecked？ When was I first adrift in the boat？
When did I get the tiller in my hand and fight against hunger and sleep？
When did the gnawi ng in my breast； and the burning in my head； first
begin？ I have lost all reckoning of it。 I can't think； I can't sleep； I can't get
the wash of the sea out of my ears。 What are you baiting me with
questions for？ Let me eat！〃
Even the sailors pitied him。 The sailors asked leave of their officer to
add a little drink to his meal。
〃We've got a drop of grog with us； sir； in a bottle。 May we give it to
him？〃
〃Certainly！〃
He took the bottle fiercely； as he had taken the food； drank a little；
stopped； and considered with himself again。 He held up the bottle to the
light； and； marking how much liquor it contained； carefully drank half of it
only。 This done； he put the bottle in his wallet along with the food。