Part 8 (2/2)

But there was no sound save for the whispering of the distant sea.

She bent her head sideways as though to listen, rose to her feet, and standing back against the bed, looked down at the shadows which danced about the hem of her garment. A swift furtive glance over her shoulder and her hand stole to the crimson kimono hanging on the bra.s.s rail, whilst a jewelled cat's-eye winked cunningly among the embroidery of her night-robe.

”Come in,” she said suddenly and sharply, ”don't stand outside the door, come in.”

And when there came no answer she thrust her arms swiftly into the sleeves of the crimson kimono, and running across the room flung open the door, and finding the corridor empty pa.s.sed hurriedly on, leaving the door wide so that the shadows skipped freakishly about the room in tune to the rhythmical whisperings which the sea bore from the distant corners of the earth.

CHAPTER XI

”Thy brother Death came, and cried, 'Wouldst thou me?'

And I replied, 'No, not thee!'”--_Sh.e.l.ley_.

The electric lights gave out a kind of fict.i.tious radiance against the dull grey of the hall windows through which the dawn was struggling.

The place was packed with girls. Some cl.u.s.tered near the baize door, standing nervously on tip-toe and with the intent of retiring precipitately if there should be any sign of the Princ.i.p.al; others hung over the stair or gallery banisters; the domestic staff stood round their own particular door, their white faces s.h.i.+ning dully like Chinese lanterns; no one spoke or moved. In fact they might have been posing for a photographer until those above suddenly swayed and bent this way and that, and those in the hall parted to give way to Leonie.

Clad in crimson satin kimono, with feet thrust into crimson satin slippers and her hastily plaited hair hanging in two great ropes, she pa.s.sed through them like a flame, emanating strength and resolve and a tremendous power of will. Although she looked neither to the right nor left as she ran swiftly and disappeared into the wing where lay her little friend, there was something very pleasing in the way the girls put out their hands to touch her as she pa.s.sed; and something distinctly encouraging in the whispered remarks that followed her, and which might be summarised in the ”_Now_ it's all right,” which under the high pressure of intense excitement almost burst from the lips of Annie Smith.

Like an arrow she sped to the bed, unconsciously pus.h.i.+ng aside the women who, almost frantic with fear and quite out of their bearings, were doing their best to grapple with the problem of life or death so suddenly placed before them.

Kneeling, she turned the girl's livid little face towards her, vainly feeling for the pulse in the wrist and bruised neck; then sprang to her feet, faced the Princ.i.p.al and took the situation into her strong, capable young hands.

”What happened? And have you sent for the doctor?”

Her usually sweet, clear voice was like the dull sound of a cracked earthenware pot when flipped by thumb and finger.

”Yes, dear!” was the quick reply. ”The doctor will be here any moment--and hot bottles and blankets are being prepared. Gertrude could not sleep and crept into Jessica's room to look for a German grammar for the examination to-morrow--to-day, and found Jessica in--in this--faint.”

And the elder woman suddenly laid a hand on the girl's arm and looked up at her with the confidence she always inspired. ”Help me, dear!” she whispered, with the dread of disgrace and an untimely ending to an honourable career in her old grey eyes.

And Leonie smiled, answering with the superb confidence of youth, and a slight ray of hope pierced the suffocating fog of fear, and brought Cookie from the head of the bed where she had been standing in the shade of a screen.

”Can I 'elp, Miss Lee-onny?”

”Cookie, _dear_--you and Miss Primstinn, Miss Leanto and--yes, and Ellen--none of the girls--and quickly--there's not a moment to lose.”

”The doctor's coming, Mum,” said a voice from the half-open door.

”The doctor is coming, dear,” repeated the Princ.i.p.al.

Leonie answered with a strange authority in her words.

”We will not wait for the doctor!” She pa.s.sed the tips of her fingers slowly across her forehead and down her cheek to the back of her neck, as was her habit when trying to solve some problem. ”No, we will not wait, because--because _I_ know!”

Ten minutes later the door opened to let in a young man, who stood for a moment outlined against a sea of faces, and then turned and shut the door most decisively and locked it.

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