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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。
〃Are you saving it up for another time？〃 said Steventon。
〃I'm saving it up；〃 the man answered。 〃Never mind what for。
That's my secret。〃
He looked round the boat…house as he made that reply； and noticed
Mrs。 Crayford for the first time。
〃A woman among you！〃 he said。 〃Is she English？ Is she young？ Let
me look closer at her。〃
He advanced a few steps toward the table。
〃Don't be afraid； Mrs。 Crayford；〃 said Steventon。
〃I am not afraid；〃 Mrs。 Crayford replied。 〃He frightened me at
firsthe interests me now。 Let him speak to me if he wishes it！〃
He never spoke。 He stood； in dead silence； looking long and
anxiously at the beautiful Englishwoman。
〃Well？〃 said Steventon。
He shook his head sadly； and drew back again with a heavy sigh。
〃No！〃 he said to himself； 〃that's not _her_ face。 No！ not found
yet。〃
Mrs。 Crayford's interest was strongly excited。 She ventured to
speak to him。
〃Who is it you want to find？〃 she asked。 〃Your wife？〃
He shook his head again。
〃Who； then？ What is she like？〃
He answered that question in words。 His hoarse； hollow voice
softened； little by little； into sorrowful and gentle tones。
〃Young；〃 he said； 〃with a fair； sad facewith kind； tender
eyeswith a soft； clear voice。 Young and loving and merciful。 I
keep her face in my mind； though I can keep nothing else。 I must
wander； wander； wanderrestless； sleepless； homelesstill I
find _her！_ Over the ice and over the snow； tossing on the sea；
tramping over the land； awake all night； awake all day； wander；
wander； wander； till I find _her！_〃
He waved his hand with a gesture of farewell； and turned wearily
to go out。
At the same moment Crayford opened the yard door。
〃I think you had better come to Clara；〃 he began； and checked
himself； noticing the stranger。 〃Who is that？〃
The shipwrecked man； hearing another voice in the room； looked
round slowly over his shoulder。 Struck by his appearance；
Crayford advanced a little nearer to him。 Mrs。 Crayford spoke to
her husband as he passed her。
〃It's only a poor； mad creature； William；〃 she
whispered〃shipwrecked and starving。〃
〃Mad？〃 Crayford repeated； approaching nearer and nearer to the
man。 〃Am _I_ in my right senses？〃 He suddenly sprang on the
outcast； and seized him by the throat。 〃Richard Wardour！〃 he
cried； in a voice of fury。 〃Alive！alive； to answer for Frank！〃
The man struggled。 Crayford held him。
〃Where is Frank？〃 he said。 〃You villain； where is Frank？〃
The man resisted no longer。 He repeated vacantly；
〃Villain？ and where is Frank？〃
As the name escaped his lips； Clara appeared at the open yard
door； and hurried into the room。
〃I heard Richard's name！〃 she said。 〃I heard Frank's name！ What
does it mean？〃
At the sound of her voice the outcast renewed the struggle to
free himself； with a sudden frenzy of strength which Crayford was
not able to resist。 He broke away before the sailors could come
to their officer's assistance。 Half…way down the length of the
room he and Clara met one another face to face。 A new light
sparkled in the poor wretch's eyes； a cry of recognition burst
from his lips。 He flung one hand up wildly in the air。 〃Found！〃
he shouted； and rushed out to the beach before any of the men
present could stop him。
Mrs。 Crayford put her arms round Clara and held her up。 She had
not made a movement： she had not spoken a word。 The sight of
Wardour's face had petrified her。
The minutes passed； and there rose a sudden burst of cheering
from the sailors on the beach； near the spot where the
fishermen's boats were drawn up。 Every man left his work。 Every
man waved his cap in the air。 The passengers； near at hand；
caught the infection of enthusiasm； and joined the crew。 A moment
more； and Richard Wardour appeared again in the doorway； carrying
a man in his arms。 He staggered； breathless with the effort that
he was making； to the place where Clara stood； held up in Mrs。
Crayford's arms。
〃Saved； Clara！〃 he cried。 〃Saved for _you！_〃
He released the man； and placed him in Clara's arms。
Frank！ foot…sore and wearybut livingsaved； saved for _her！_
〃Now； Clara！〃 cried Mrs。 Crayford； 〃which of us is right？ I who
believed in the mercy of God？ or you who believed in a dream？〃
She never answered； she clung to Frank in speechless ecstasy。 She
never even looked at the man who had preserved him； in the first
absorbing joy of seeing Frank alive。 Step by step； slower and
slower； Richard Wardour drew back； and left them by themselves。
〃I may rest now；〃 he said； faintly。 〃I may sleep at last。 The
task is done。 The struggle is over。〃
His last reserves of strength had been given to Frank。 He
stoppedhe staggeredhis hands waved feebly in search of
support。 But for one faithful friend he would have fallen。
Crayford caught him。 Crayford laid his old comrade gently on some
sails strewn in a corner； and pillowed Wardour's weary head on
his own bosom。 The tears streamed over his face。 〃Richard！ dear
Richard！〃 he said。 〃Rememberand forgive me。〃
Richard neither heeded nor heard him。 His dim eyes still looked
across the room at Clara and Frank。
〃I have made _her_ happy！〃 he murmured。 〃I may lay down my weary
head now on the mother earth that hushes all her children to rest
at last。 Sink； heart！ sink； sink to rest！ Oh； look at them！〃 he
said to Crayford； with a burst of grief。 〃They have forgotten
_me_ already。〃
It was true！ The interest was all with the two lovers。 Frank was
young and handsome and popular。 Officers； passengers； and
sailors； they all crowded round Frank。 They all forgot the
martyred man who had saved himthe man who was dying in
Crayford's arms。
Crayford tried once more to attract his attentionto win his
recognition while there was yet time。 〃Richard； speak to me！
Speak to your old friend！〃
He look round； he vacantly repeated Crayford's last word。
〃Friend？〃 he said。 〃My eyes are dim； friendmy mind is dull。 I
have lost all memories but the memory of _her_。 Dead
thoughtsall dead thoughts but that one！ And yet you look at me
kindly！ Why has your face gone down with the wreck of all the
rest？〃
He paused； his face changed； his thoughts drifted back from
present to past； he looked at Crayford vacantly； lost in the
terrible remembrances that were rising in him； as the shadows
rise with the coming night。
〃Hark ye； friend；〃 he whispered。 〃Never let Frank know it。 There
was a time when the fiend within me hungered for his life。 I had
my hands on the boat。 I heard the voice of the Tempter speaking
to me： Launch it； and leave him to die！ I waited with my hands on
the boat； and my eyes on the place where he slept。 'Leave hi