"It can not be for long," he muttered. "A man has his limits!"
"The search may drift away from Broome's Point," she said eagerly. "Anything may happen.... To-morrow night when I come I'll bring you some books."
"Books!" he exclaimed scornfully.
"Well, anyway at night we can wander around where we please."
"If you work all day you've got to have your sleep at night," he said doggedly.
"Sleep!" said Pen. "I've got all the rest of my life to sleep in!"
He was still clinging to her hand. "It's so hard to let you go," he murmured. "Could you ... Oh, I know I haven't any right to ask it ... in my position ..."
Pen hated his humility. She stamped her foot. "Any right! What's your position got to do with it?"
His head went up with a jerk. "Pen!" he cried.
Pen was plain panic-stricken. "Good-night!" she said, jerking her hand free. "The sky is getting light behind you!"