He kneeled by this, he cooled face and hands in the water, then flung himself beneath a tree and, burying his head in his arms, lay still.

The waves within subsided, sank to a long, deep swell, then from that to quiet.

The door that wind and tide had beaten open shut again.

Alexander lay without thinking, without overmuch feeling.

At last, turning, he opened his eyes upon the tree-tops and the August sky.