He spoke slowly, as if he had not heard her last words.  For a moment he stood silent, and as silently the girl stood and watched him.  She guessed the despair that was raging in his heart but when he spoke to her she could detect none of it in his voice.

“Casey is a fool,” he said, unconsciously repeating Obadiah’s words.  “Marion, will you come with me?  Will you leave the island—­and join your brother?”

The hope that had risen in his heart was crushed as Marion drew farther away from him.

“You must go alone,” she replied.  With a powerful effort she steadied her voice.  “Tell Neil that he has been condemned to death.  Tell him that—­if he loves me—­he will not return to the island.”

“And I?”

From her distance she saw his arms stretched like shadows toward her.

“And you—­”

Her voice was low, so low that he could hardly hear the words she spoke, but its sweetness thrilled him.

“And you—­if you love me—­will do this thing for me.  Go to Neil.  Save his life for me!”

She had come to him through the gloom, and in the luster of the eyes that were turned up to him Nathaniel saw again the power that swayed his soul.

“You will go?”

“I will save your brother—­if I can!”

“You can—­you can—­” she breathed.  In an ecstasy of gratitude she seized one of his hands in both her own.  “You can save him!”

“For you—­I will try.”

“For me—­”

She was so close that he could feel the throbbing of her bosom.  Suddenly he lifted his free hand and brushed back the thick hair from her brow and turned her face until what dim light there still remained of the day glowed in the beauty of her eyes.  “I will keep him from the island if I can,” he said, looking deep into them, “and as there is a God in Heaven I swear that you—­”

“What?” she urged, as he hesitated.

“That you shall not marry Strang!” he finished.

A cry welled up in the girl’s throat.  Was it of gladness?  Was it of hope?  She sprang back a pace from Nathaniel and with clenched hands waited breathlessly, as if she expected him to say more.

“No—­no—­you can not save me from Strang!  Now—­you must go!”

She retreated slowly in the direction of the path.  In an instant Nathaniel was at her side.

“I am going to see you safely back in St. James,” he declared.  “Then I will go to your brother.”

She barred his way defiantly.

“You can not go!”

“Why?”

“Because—­” He caught the frightened flutter of her voice again.  “Because—­they will kill you!”

The low laugh that he breathed in her hair was more of joy than fear.

“I am glad you care—­Marion.”  He spoke her name with faltering tenderness, and led her out into the path.

“You must go,” she still persisted.

“With you—­yes,” he answered.