“Didn’t they rush our boat, then laugh as it went over?”
“Did they? Tell me about it.” The young lady’s tone suddenly took on a note of lively interest.
Florence told her exactly what had happened.
“That is queer,” said the lady, as she finished. “Your boat is dark; your friend wore a dark cape. Until to-night I have spent every evening for a week in this bay, sitting just as your companion was sitting, in an attitude of meditation, you might say. Since you were lying stretched out in the stern, you would be practically hidden by darkness. One might easily conclude that I was the intended victim of this little joke, if it may be called that, and that you had stepped in the way of it.”
“But why should they run you down?” The question slipped unbidden from Florence’s lips.
It went unanswered.
They bailed out the boat, took it in tow, then rowed back as they had come, in silence.
“Why should anyone wish to run you down?” The lady of the island asked this question quite abruptly the moment they entered the cabin.
“Why I—I don’t know.” Florence remained silent for a moment before she added, “We have heard that there is an actress visiting the Eries, those rich people over on the far point. From the description, it might be Green Eyes.”
“Green Eyes? What a name!” The mystery lady opened her eyes wide.