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standstill only a few feet away。 Mr。 Fentolin leaned forward。 His
features had lost their delicately benevolent aspect； his words
were minatory。
〃I am under the impression； sir；〃 he said； 〃 that I saw you with my
glasses from the window attempting to force an entrance into that
building。〃
Hamel nodded。
〃I not only tried but I succeeded；〃 he remarked。 〃I got in through
the window。〃
Mr。 Fentolin's eyes glittered for a moment。 Hamel； who had resumed
his place upon the rock close at hand； had been mixed up during his
lifetime in many wild escapades。 Yet at that moment he had a sudden
feeling that there were dangers in life which as yet he had not
faced。
〃May I ask for your explanation or your excuse？〃 〃
〃You can call it an explanation or an excuse； whichever you like；〃
Hamel replied steadily； 〃but the fact is that this little building；
which some one else seems to have appropriated； is mine。 If I had
not been a good…natured person； I should be engaged； at the present
moment； in turning out its furniture on to the beach。〃
〃What is your name？〃 Mr。 Fentolin asked suddenly。
〃My name is Hamel … Richard Hamel。〃
For several moments there was silence。 Mr。 Fentolin was still
leaning forward in his strange little vehicle。 The colour seemed
to have left even his lips。 The hard glitter in his eyes had given
place to an expression almost like fear。 He looked at Richard
Hamel as though he were some strange sea…monster come up from
underneath the sands。
〃Richard Hamel；〃 he repeated。 〃Do you mean that you are the son of
Hamel； the R。A。； who used to be in these parts so often？ He was my
brother's friend。〃
〃I am his son。〃
〃But his son was killed in the San Francisco earthquake。 I saw his
name in all the lists。 It was copied into the local papers here。〃
Hamel knocked the ashes from his pipe。
〃I take a lot of killing；〃 he observed。 〃I was in that earthquake；
right enough； and in the hospital afterwards； but it was a man named
Hamel of Philadelphia who died。〃
Mr。 Fentolin sat quite motionless for several moments。 He seemed；
if possible； to have shrunken into something smaller still。 A few
yards behind； Meekins had alighted from his bicycle and was standing
waiting。
〃So you are Richard Hamel；〃 Mr。 Fentolin said at last very softly。
〃Welcome back to England； Richard Hamel！ I knew your father
slightly； although we were never very friendly。〃
He stretched out his hand from underneath the coverlet of his little
vehicle … a hand with long； white fingers； slim and white and
shapely as a woman's。 A single ring with a dull green stone was on
his fourth finger。 Hamel shook bands with him as he would have
shaken hands with a woman。 Afterwards he rubbed his fingers slowly
together。 There was something about the touch which worried him。
〃You have been making use of this little shanty； haven't you？〃 he
asked bluntly。
Mr。 Fentolin nodded。 He was apparently begin ning to recover
himself。
〃You must remember；〃 he explained suavely； 〃that it was built by my
grandfather； and that we have had rights over the whole of the
foreshore here from time immemorial。 I know quite well that my
brother gave it to your father … or rather he sold it to him for a
nominal sum。 I must tell you that it was a most complicated
transaction。 He had the greatest difficulty in getting any lawyer
to draft the deed of sale。 There were so many ancient rights and
privileges which it was impossible to deal with。 Even now there
are grave doubts as to the validity of the transaction。 When nothing
was heard of you； and we all concluded that you were dead； I ventured
to take back what I honestly believed to be my own。 Owing；〃 he
continued slowly； 〃to my unfortunate affliction； I am obliged to
depend for interest in my life upon various hobbies。 This little
place； queerly enough； has become one of them。 I have furnished it；
in a way； installed the telephone to the house； connected it with
my electric plant； and I come down here when I want to be quite
alone； and paint。 I watch the sea … such a sea sometimes； such
storms； such colour！ You notice that ridge of sand out yonder？ It
forms a sort of natural breakwater。 Even on the calmest day you
can trace that white line of foam。〃
〃It is a strange coast；〃 Hamel admitted。
Mr。 Fentolin pointed with his forefinger northwards。
〃Somewhere about there；〃 he indicated； 〃is the entrance to the
tidal river which flows up to the village of St。 David's yonder。
You see？〃
His finger traced its course until it came to a certain point near
the beach； where a tall black pillar stood； surmounted by a globe。
〃I have had a light fixed there for the benefit or the fishermen；〃
he said； 〃a light which I work from my own dynamo。 Between where
we are sitting now and there … only a little way out to sea … is a
jagged cluster of cruel rocks。 You can see them if you care to swim
out in calm weather。 Fishermen who tried to come in by night were
often trapped there and； in a rough sea； drowned。 That is why I
had that pillar of light built。 On stormy nights it shows the exact
entrance to the water causeway。〃
〃Very kind of you indeed；〃 Hamel remarked； 〃very benevolent。〃
Mr。 Fentolin sighed。
〃So few people have any real feeling for sailors；〃 he continued。
〃The fishermen around here are certainly rather a casual class。 Do
you know that there is scarcely one of them who can swim？ There
isn't one of them who isn't too lazy to learn even the simplest
stroke。 My brother used to say … dear Gerald … that it served them
right if they were drowned。 I have never been able to feel like
that； Mr。 Hamel。 Life is such a wonderful thing。 One night；〃 he
went on； dropping his voice and leaning a little forward in his
carriage …〃 it was just before； or was it just after I had fixed
that light … I was down here one dark winter night。 There was a
great north wind and a huge sea running。 It was as black as pitch；
but I heard a boat making for St。 David's causeway strike on those
rocks just hidden in front there。 I heard those fishermen shriek
as they went under。 I heard their shouts for help； I heard their
death cries。 Very terrible； Mr。 Hamel！ Very terrible！〃
Hamel looked at the speaker curiously。 Mr。 Fentolin seemed
absorbed in his subject。 He had spoken with relish； as one who
loves the things he speaks about。 Quite unaccountably； Hamel
found himself shivering。
〃It was their mother；〃 Mr。 Fentolin continued； leaning again a
little forward in his chair； 〃their mother whom I saw pass along
the beach just now … a widow； too； poor thing。 She comes here
often … a morbid taste。 She spoke to you； I think？〃
〃She spoke to me strangely；〃 Hamel admitted。 〃She gave me the
impression of a woman whose brain had been turned with grief。〃
〃Too true；〃 Mr。 Fentolin sighed。 〃The poor creature！ I offered her
a small pension； but she would have none of it。 A superior woman
in her way once； filled now with queer fancies；〃 he went on； eyeing
Hamel steadily；…〃 the very strangest fancies。 She spends her life
prowling about here。 No one in the village even knows how she lives。
Did she speak of me；