So, when he
fell ill one winter and one of the coast guards found him here
almost starved and helpless, they took him away to the poor farm."
They went on around the end of the headland and walked up the beach
toward the port. Before they reached the path by which they intended
to mount to the summit of Wreckers' Head, they observed another
couple going in the same direction, following the edge of the water
on the firm strand. The woman was dressed in such brilliant hues
that she could be mistaken for nobody but a resident of Portygee
Town.
"That is the daughter of Pareta, who brought up your trunk when you
came here, Ida May," said Tunis carelessly.
"But do you see who the man is?" she said, with some surprise. "It
is your cousin."
"'Rion? So it is. Well," he added rather scornfully, "no accounting
for tastes. She's a decent-enough girl, I guess, but we don't mix
much with the Portygees. Although most of them are all right folks,
at that. But fooling around those girls sometimes starts trouble,
as 'Rion ought to know by this time."
As they climbed the path, Tunis aiding his companion at certain
places, the girl, looking down, thought they were being closely
watched by the other couple on the beach.
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