“Jewels brought by my father to my mother on the morning of their marriage,” he told her. “When she lay dying she gave them me and told me never to part with them except I gave them to my—” He paused suddenly, “But thou hast saved my life!” he added as quickly, “Who else could ever deserve them more? Well know I my mother would wish thee to have them.”
Silently, though her eyes were bright with, pleasure, the princess lifted the beautiful necklace.
“Wildenai will wear them always, senor lord,” she answered softly, “for now she knows that truly you did mean to keep your word!”
And so, his mission accomplished, her guest rose hastily to his feet. He must return immediately to the ship.
“Know you not, then, that it is gone?” exclaimed the girl, amazed.
“Gone?” echoed young Harold, and stared at her astounded. He seemed not to have grasped her meaning. “Gone, said'st thou?”
“The ship was out of sight a full hour or more ere ever I heard you call,” she explained.
Still he continued to gaze at her fixedly as if totally unable to comprehend what she would have him know. Then it was plain to be seen that, for the moment at least, blank despair took hold upon him. Up and down the length of the cave he strode like some imprisoned wild thing. At length, standing quite still with folded arms, he seemed to lose himself in thought.
“Battling with the surf I did not see nor hear,” he muttered at last. “But he could not sail without me!” he added. Fiercely he raised his head and his eyes flashed. “He dare not so betray me!”
Wildenai, too, had been considering.