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Jack heard the story of his rescue from India He surprised her alone in the breakfast rooone

She popped a question directly at hiet up?"

"Didn't ask hih, and dropped into a seat across the table

Shaven and dressed in a clean freshly pressed suit, he looked a different ht back with him three days earlier The eyes were still rather sunken and the face a bit drawn, but otherwise he was his very competent and debonair self His "Good mornin', India," was as cheery and matter of fact as if those five days of horror had never existed

"Don't believe it will hurt you" Her bright eyes arm in their approval of him "You look a lot fitter than you did even yesterday It's awfully jolly to see you around again, Cousin Jack"

"I' of importance in that covered dish over there?"

"Tellhim the bacon Then, with a shudder, she added: "Must have been rather awful down there"

"Bad enough," he adhtly

"Tell me" She leaned forward, chin in hand

"What's the use? Those fellows put me down Your brother took me up That's all"

"It isn't all Ned says it is perfectlycrushed, and then dug it again after it had caved"

"Couldn't lie down and quit, could I? A man in the hole I was can't pick and choose" He smiled lazily at her and took a muffin from a plate handed him by the waiter "My turn to ask questions I want the full story of how you guessed I was in the west shaft of the Golden Nugget"

"Haven't you heard? It was Moya guessed it--fro on the pipe, you know"

"So I've been told Now let's have the particulars" His eyes went arrow-straight into hers and rested there

India told him She knew that Ned would make a safer husband for Moya than this forceful adventurer It was quite likely to be on the cards that he cared nothing for her friend Indeed, his desperate flirtation with Joyce indicated as much Moreover, Moya would not marry aby dishonest practices But in spite of all these objections Miss Kilainst ridicule and unbelief, regardless of what any of theht think of her