Part 19 (2/2)
I nodded. If the thing was to be done at all, it was unquestionably a niblick shot.
”I had just made my eleventh attempt to get out of that ravine,” the girl went on, ”with George talking all the time about the recent excavations in Egypt, when suddenly--you know what it is when something seems to snap----”
”I had the experience with my shoe-lace only this morning.”
”Yes, it was like that. Sharp--sudden--happening all in a moment. I suppose I must have said something, for George stopped talking about Egypt and said that he was reminded by a remark of the last speaker's of a certain Irishman-----”
I pressed her hand.
”Don't go on if it hurts you,” I said, gently.
”Well, there is very little more to tell. He bent his head to light his pipe, and well--the temptation was too much for me. That's all.”
”You were quite right.”
”You really think so?”
”I certainly do. A rather similar action, under far less provocation, once made Jael the wife of Heber the most popular woman in Israel.”
”I wish I could think so too,” she murmured. ”At the moment, you know, I was conscious of nothing but an awful elation. But--but--oh, he was such a darling before he got this dreadful affliction. I can't help thinking of G-George as he used to be.”
She burst into a torrent of sobs.
”Would you care for me to view the remains?” I said.
”Perhaps it would be as well.”
She led me silently into the ravine. George Mackintosh was lying on his back where he had fallen.
”There!” said Celia.
And, as she spoke, George Mackintosh gave a kind of snorting groan and sat up. Celia uttered a sharp shriek and sank on her knees before him.
George blinked once or twice and looked about him dazedly.
”Save the women and children!” he cried. ”I can swim.”
”Oh, George!” said Celia.
”Feeling a little better?” I asked.
”A little. How many people were hurt?”
”Hurt?”
”When the express ran into us.” He cast another glance around him.
”Why, how did I get here?”
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