Part 13 (1/2)
The rail swung loose at the same instant, and Tony, who had been leaning heavily against it with his arms folded, was precipitated backwards into the sea!
Screams of horror and consternation broke from all the women, and Myra sprang to her feet and made a dash towards the side of the yacht.
Whether or not she intended to fling herself into the sea in the hope of rescuing Tony, she could not afterwards have told. As it was, Don Carlos seized her, hurled her aside, and flung off his coat.
”Man overboard!” he yelled at the top of his powerful voice, and as he did so he dived overside.
His cry was heard and repeated instantly by several of the crew. There was a clang of bells in the engine room as the chief officer on the bridge shot over the indicator, signalling ”Full Speed Astern,” at the same time shouting orders that sent men racing to swing out a boat from the davits, while others ran with life-buoys to the stern of the vessel, ready to fling them to the men in the water if the opportunity presented itself.
The _Killarney_ had been going full speed ahead when Standish went overboard, and at first Myra, when she began to recover her scattered wits, could see no trace of either Tony or Don Carlos. Then she glimpsed a black head, and saw Don Carlos swimming strongly towards a fair head, which she knew was Tony. A pair of hands shot up and the fair head disappeared just when Don Carlos had almost reached it, and a sob of anguish broke from Myra's white lips.
”He's gone down! He's drowning!” she gasped, and as the words pa.s.sed her lips Don Carlos also disappeared--to reappear, however, a minute later, swimming on his back and supporting Tony.
He seemed to be having difficulty in keeping afloat, and it seemed to all those anxiously watching that he might go under before help could reach him. Again the engine-room bells clanged, and this time the signal from the bridge was ”Stop”; the boat, fully-manned, was lowered with a run, and at the same time one of the sailors at the stern of the yacht slung a lifebuoy overside with such force and accuracy that it hit the water with a splash within ten yards of Don Carlos, who propelled himself towards it, and with its aid succeeded in supporting himself and Tony until the boat reached him and he and Tony were safely hauled aboard.
Orders were shouted from the bridge, sailors scurried to let down the accommodation ladder and stood by with ropes, awaiting the return of the boat, which was being rapidly rowed back to the _Killarney_.
The boat came alongside at last, and Tony, who appeared to be exhausted and almost unconscious, was with difficulty hoisted up the ladder to the deck, where the s.h.i.+p's doctor was already waiting with restoratives.
Someone started a cheer as Don Carlos, dripping wet but smiling, came up the ladder, and the cheer was taken up by practically everyone around, save Myra, who was standing tense and white, her brain in a turmoil.
”Bravo, Don Carlos, bravo!” shouted an excited and enthusiastic youngster, rus.h.i.+ng forward and trying to shake Don Carlos's hand; but Don Carlos waved him off with an impatient frown and bent over Tony, who had opened his eyes and was making an effort to sit up.
”Is he all right, doctor?” he asked.
”Yes, I think he is only suffering from shock, sir,” the doctor answered, unfastening Tony's collar, which seemed to be choking him.
”Thanks,” gasped Tony faintly and painfully. ”I--I'll be all right presently. Think I must have hit my head on something. Give me a drink, will you?”
The doctor gave him brandy, had him carried to his cabin, where he examined him carefully and discovered that he was not injured. He surmised that Tony had probably been partly stunned by falling flat on the water when he toppled overboard, and ”knocked silly”--to use Tony's own expression--and he was able to tell the pa.s.sengers that their host would probably be all right again within an hour or two.
”Thank heaven for that!” exclaimed Lady Fermanagh fervently. ”Myra, darling, you look ghastly. Doctor, please give Miss Rostrevor something to pull her together.”
”I'm quite all right, thanks,” said Myra--and promptly disproved her own statement by dropping limply into a deck-chair, covering her face with her hands, and bursting into tears.
She speedily recovered herself, however, after she had been helped to her state-room and persuaded to swallow some sal volatile, but she still felt shaken and unnerved.
”Better lie down and rest for a little while until you have quite recovered from the shock, Myra dear,” advised Lady Fermanagh. ”Don't worry. You heard the doctor say that Tony will be quite all right and isn't hurt.”
”I don't understand it,” said Myra, more to herself than to her aunt.
”Don Carlos meant to kill Tony, and yet he saved him. Does he want to make himself out to be a hero simply to flatter still further his own vanity, or is he trying to frighten me?”
”My dear Myra, what on earth are you talking about?” inquired Lady Fermanagh in concern.
”Don Carlos undid the bolt of the rail against which Tony was leaning,”
explained Myra. ”I saw him do it, but had no time to warn Tony. He threatened this morning that he would murder Tony rather than let me marry him. What can I do, Aunt?”
Lady Fermanagh shook her grey head, looking greatly concerned.