"The sun was dipping into the sea as we trudged across the meadows
towards a high, dome-shaped dune covered with cedars and thickets of
sweet bay. I saw no sign of habitation among the sand-hills. Far as
the eye could reach, nothing broke the gray line of sea and sky save
the squat dunes crowned with stunted cedars.

"Then, as we rounded the base of the dune, we almost walked into the
door of a house. My amazement amused Miss Holroyd, and I noticed also
a touch of malice in her pretty eyes. But she said nothing, following
her father into the house, with the slightest possible gesture to me.
Was it invitation or was it menace?

"The house was merely a light wooden frame, covered with some
waterproof stuff that looked like a mixture of rubber and tar. Over
this--in fact, over the whole roof--was pitched an awning of heavy
sail-cloth. I noticed that the house was anchored to the sand by
chains, already rusted red. But this one-storied house was not the
only building nestling in the south shelter of the big dune. A hundred
feet away stood another structure--long, low, also built of wood. It
had rows on rows of round port-holes on every side. The ports were
fitted with heavy glass, hinged to swing open if necessary. A single,
big double door occupied the front.

"Behind this long, low building was still another, a mere shed. Smoke
rose from the sheet-iron chimney. There was somebody moving about
inside the open door.