We stared at one another for a moment. Neither of us was smiling. Finally Jim shook himself, like a dog coming out of the water.

“I’m fey,” he muttered. “Or getting senile, or something. You’re right, of course. See you, Sandy.”

He took me by the shoulder and kissed me, quickly but thoroughly.

I was in a pleasant daze as I threaded my way through the steep back streets and onto the road above the village. The view toward the west was sensational, with the black bulk of the mountain outlined against a sunset of garish crimson and copper. Such sunsets are caused by dust in the air; and a faint unease shadowed my mood as I remembered the steaming volcano out in the bay. But nothing could mar my happiness for long. Jim and I were on good terms again, and I had nothing more to hide from him.

I was almost at the house when I heard the hoofbeats. This time I knew what they were, and except for making sure I was a good safe distance from the cliff I didn’t worry about them. The crescendo of thundering hooves increased and then I saw them, on the upper trail. The man was bent low over the horse’s neck and they were going hell for leather. For an instant I saw the flying forms black against the sunset, and then they were gone, down the hill into the gathering night.

I walked on, but my euphoric mood was gone. It was a funny time of night to go riding, especially at such a breakneck pace. The man rode as if pursued. I wondered what Furies were on his trail. The ghastly hags who had pursued Orestes after he murdered his mother were symbols of guilt, so psychologists say. Maybe they weren’t symbols to the Greeks, though. The Greeks believed in monsters. My imagination re-created the flying figures of horse and rider, and added shadowy snake-haired forms, flapping black bat wings.

I broke into a trot. The shadow of the mountain lay dark across the ground.

II

When Frederick and I left the house the next morning, we found Jim waiting for us. He was wearing swimming trunks, a guileless smile, and a fine assortment of goose pimples.

The look he got from Frederick should have made him hot enough. I said hastily, before Frederick could turn the look on me,

“Why, Jim, what a surprise. What are you doing here?”

Jim turned the guileless smile on Frederick.

“I know how busy you are, sir; thought maybe you might like someone to relieve you while Sandy gets her daily exercise. It would be a pleasure. Nothing I enjoy more than a brisk morning dip.”

He didn’t look as if he were enjoying the brisk-morning part of it.

“You can’t swim with that cut on your head,” I said.

“I’ll just dabble my toes,” said Jim.

“Foolishness,” Frederick muttered. “Very well, since you are here, I may as well… Don’t bemore than an hour, Sandy, I will need you on the dig. And don’t leave this cove.”

He strode off without waiting for an answer.

“Lousy actor,” Jim said, lowering his voice. “I can’t imagine how he ever survived as a spy.”

“Maybe he was more flexible in his younger days. Come on, let’s go before you catch cold.”

“Not that way.” He caught my arm. “How do you get to the next bay overland?”

There was no point in being coy; he obviously knew exactly what I was doing.

“I don’t want to go there today,” I said.

“Well, I do. I’d like to get a closer look at Kore’s haunts anyhow.”

The early-morning chill disappeared as the sun rose higher. It was going to be another warm day. Before long we saw the white walls and red-tiled roofs of the villa ahead. I indicated the path that led toward the bay.

“Let’s go a little closer to the house first,” Jim said.

“I don’t want-”

“What can they do, shoot us?”

I didn’t need much persuasion. I was curious too.

After all, we didn’t see much. The house was enclosed by high walls. We traced their outline at a respectful distance and saw no signs of life except for a stray goat or two on the slopes above.

“They sure like their privacy, don’t they?” Jim said. “That looks like ground glass on top of the wall.”

“Kore’s acting may not be enough to keep the villagers at a respectful distance.”

“Ground glass is surer,” Jim agreed.

We retraced our steps and descended the cliff. Then Jim produced a bathing cap from the folds of his towel and solemnly pulled it on. I couldn’t help laughing; it was a gaudy purple-and-pink cap with a clump of plastic orchids on top. He grinned at me.

“This is the best Antonia’s souvenir shop could come up with,” he said. “I didn’t bring one with me, believe it or not. Fetching, isn’t it?”

He posed, one hand on his hips, and rolled his eyes at me.

“No,” I said, between gasps of laughter. “It’s no use, Jim, you couldn’t look anything but one hundred percent male, even in that cap.”

“I’m glad to hear it. It inhibits me a little, though. I have an overwhelming urge to kiss you when you laugh that way, but I don’t think I can do it while I’m wearing this hat.”

We swam for about an hour and then I insisted that we quit. Jim couldn’t do much, since he had to keep his head out of the water, and I suspected Sir Christopher would have plenty to say to him if he were late. Before we started back, he took off his bathing cap and his inhibitions and kissed me. His kisses got better all the time; we might have lingered on the sun-warmed rock if I hadn’t been so conscious of the silent white house on the cliff. I told Jim about seeing the man watching me. His face lengthened, but he made no comment.

When he left me, at the house, he went down the path at a run. So he was late, and worried about it.

Next morning he was there again. Frederick ’s face was absolutely thunderous. We had had an acrimonious argument the day before, and I had to swear on everything sacred that I had not let Jim in on the secret. I don’t think Frederick believed me. He paid no attention to my statement that the whole village knew what we were doing, and that it was only a matter of time before the port authorities landed on us. He was almost beyond reason on this point. And when he saw Jim the second time, he didn’t even speak to him, he just went back into the house and slammed the door.

“We can’t go on meeting this way,” I said, as we walked along the path.

“I’m afraid you’re right,” said Jim. “Chris had a few things to say to me this morning.”

“Go back then.” I stopped. “This is silly.”

“On one condition. You go back too.”

“Oh, all right. I can’t have you lose your job on my account.”

We parted at the house.

“I may be here tomorrow and I may not,” Jim said. “I won’t ask you to promise-”

“I can’t promise. I’ll do my best.”

“Then so will I. You like honesty, Sandy. I’ll be honest. I intend to stop this somehow.”

“You mean, report Frederick?”

“I’ll do whatever I have to do.”

“So will I,” I said.

He didn’t kiss me good-bye.

Frederick and I had a little talk that evening. It was a humdinger. My voice must have been audible several hundred yards away. Frederick didn’t shout, he just got colder and meaner with every word. Losing my temper meant that I’d lost control of the argument. It took a direction I had not expected.

“What do you mean, betrayal?” I demanded at one point. “That’s a rather melodramatic word to use for a-”

“It is accurate. Your loyalty should have been to me, if for no other reason than because you promised me. The first adolescent male that comes along pawing at you-”

“Pawing!”

“I’ve seen him kiss you, put his arms around you. Disgusting, promiscuous-”

“That’s enough,” I said. I wasn’t angry anymore, I was appalled. “My God, is that the way you think? Is that the way you were with-”

I stopped just in time. There are some things you can’t say. Of course Frederick knew what I meant. It had an unexpected effect. Instead of getting madder, he calmed down. We were like two people whose furious combat has brought them to the edge of a cliff; we had to agree to a truce to keep from falling over.