The Moon Rock

ly old house. He had other duties to perform before his day's work was finished. There was wood to be chopped, coal to

o her eyes. She was Thalassa's wife, but the relationship was so completely ignored by Thalassa that other people were apt to forget its existence. The couple did the work of Flint House between them, but apart from that c

ble to understand how such a feeble specimen of womanhood had been able to bring down such an untoward specimen of the masculine brute. Outwardly, Thalassa had more kinship with a pirate than a husband. There was that in his swart eagle visage an

etual fear of him-a fear which deepened into speechless shaking horror when he stormed out at her in one of his black rages. Some women would have taken to drink, others to religion. Mrs. Thalassa sought consolation in two packs of diminutive

rows with quick nervous movements of her worn little hands. She glanced o

aging outside, and occasionally glancing at his wife, who remained absorbed in her patience. Half an hour passed in silence, broken only by the rattling of rain

so violently under the impulse of the unseen pull that the other bells

ound ceased. He then left the kitchen wit

astonishment at the sight which met his eyes. Robert Turold was crouching by the table like a beaten dog

've come, Thal

r with you?" said

k, Thalassa-he

? W

t was-" His voice sank suddenly, and

led slightly, but he answ

How can he have come back? How oft

ught he was dead, Thal

o you

eard

! What do

tsteps then, as he raced over the rocks, looking back at us with his wild eyes, and the blood streaming down his face-running and running until he stum

stepped quickly across to the nearest window and flung it open. The room was filled with rushing wind, and the wind

en his spirit," m

d there is no other house near by. Come, what are you afraid of? You are worrying and upsetting yourself over nothing. I'll br

o leave the room. It was plain that his words had some effect on Robert Turold, and he

l tone. "My nerves are a little overstrung, I fancy. Yo

d barred," said Thala

had ceased, but the wind blew fiercely, and the sea thundered at the foot of the cliffs. The gloom outside was thinning, and as Thalassa glanced out his eye ligh

p of somebody apparently anxious to attract attention without making too much noise, and coming, as it seemed, from the front door. Thalassa glanced at his wife,

nted faces were alive and sensitive to her reproof. The old house creaked and groaned in the wind, then became suddenly silent, like a man overtaken by sleep in the midst of stretching and yawning. Time sped on. Thalassa

g noise, and fell at Mrs. Thalassa's feet. She got

The lower part of the house was gloomy and dark, but she could see the lamp glimmering on the hall stand. She w

of fear she shut the door and turned again to her game. But for once the charm of the cards failed her. Where was Jasper, and why did he not return? Si

ace of the window. She buried her face in her hands, lack

g into the passage. With dismay she saw it was not properly shut. She wondered if she dared go and loc

by a giant's hand, and then the wind blew coldly on her face. The lamp on the kitchen table sent up a straight tongue of flame in the draught, and also went out. As she stood there with straining eyes a cry rang out overhead, followed in a space