Page:Quiller-Couch--Old fires and profitable ghosts.djvu/211

Rh red line encircling the flesh of the girl's upper arm, and from that to the arm and armlet in the fresco.

"She has been copying it," said I, "with a string or ribbon, which no doubt she tied too tightly."

"You are mistaken, sir; this is a birthmark. You have had it always?" he asked the girl.

She nodded. Her eyes were fixed on his face with the gaze of one at the same time startled and confiding; and for the moment he too seemed to be startled. But his smile came back as he picked up the daisy-chain and began once more to sway it to and fro before her.

"And when that arm belonged to you, there was sand around you—eh! Tell us, how did the sand come there?"

She was silent, staring at the pendulum-swing of the chain. "Tell us," he repeated in a low coaxing tone.

And in a tone just as low she began, "There was sand … red sand … it was below me … and something above … something like a great tent." She faltered, paused and went on, "There were thousands of people…." She stopped.

"Yes, yes—there were thousands of people on the sand"

"No, they were not on the sand. There were only two on the sand … the rest were around … under the tent … my arm was out … just like this…."

The young man put a hand to his forehead.