Part 34 (2/2)
CHAPTER XXVII
HOW ONE CAME TO HIM LIKE AN ANGEL FROM HEAVEN
Nance was standing by the shelter, and even in the darkness he could tell that she was shaking, in spite of her previous vigorous incitement to defence.
”You--you didn't kill any of them?” she asked anxiously.
”No, dear. I warned them off and fired into the water to show them I was armed.”
”I was afraid. But, there were two shots.”
”One of them fired back the next time I spoke, but I was expecting it.”
”They are wicked, wicked men, and cruel.”
”They are mistaken, that's all. But it comes to much the same thing, and I don't see,” he said despondently, ”how we are ever to prove it to them.”
”They will come again.”
”Yes, they are to come back with every man and every boat in the Island.
I shall have my hands full. Are there more than these two places where they can land?”
”Not good places, and these only when the sea is right. But angry men--and ready to shoot you--oh, it is wicked--”
”We must hope the sea will keep them off, and that something may turn up to throw some light on the other matter,” he said, trying to comfort her, though, in truth, the outlook was not hopeful, and he feared himself that his time might be short.
”I will stop here and help you,” she said, with sudden vehemence. ”They shall not have you. They shall not! They are wicked, crazy men,” and the little cloaked figure shook again with the spirit that was in it.
”Dear!” he said, putting his arm round her, and drawing her close. ”You must not stop. They must not know you have been here. I do not know what the end will be. We are in G.o.d's hands, and we have done no wrong. But if ... if the worst comes, you will remember all your life, dear, that to one man you were as an angel from heaven. Nance! Nance! Oh, my dear, how can I tell you all you are to me!”--and as he pressed her to him, the bare white arms stole out of the cloak and clasped him tightly round the neck.
”But how are you going to get back, little one? You cannot possibly swim that Race again?” he asked presently, holding her still in his arms and looking down at her anxiously.
”Yes, I can swim,” she said valiantly. ”I knew it would be worse than usual, and I brought these”--and she slipped from his arms and groped on the ground, and presently held up what felt to him in the darkness like a pair of inflated bladders with a broad band between them. ”And here is a little bread and meat, all I could carry tied on to my head. We feared you would be starving.”
”You should not have burdened yourself, dear. It might have drowned you.
And I have eggs--puffins'--”
”Ach!”
”They are better than nothing, and I beat them up with cognac. But are you safe in the Race, Nance dear, even with those things?”
”You cannot sink. If Bernel had only taken them! But he laughed at them, and now--”
He kissed her sobs away, but was full of anxiety at thought of her in the rus.h.i.+ng darkness of the Race.
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