Part 67 (1/2)
”And Blake!” exclaimed Mr. Leslie. ”He'll of course be coming, too. I'm going to meet him--learn the truth.”
He cast a threatening glance at Ashton, and went out like a shot.
”Uncle Herbert, take me with you!” called Dolores, flying out after him.
”Blake!--coming here!” gasped Ashton. He ran to place himself before Genevieve, who was about to go out. ”Wait, wait, Miss Genevieve, please! Save me! He--he said he'd smash me if I talked--he did! He did!
Don't let him hurt me! He threatened to kill me--it's true--true!”
”Threatened to kill you?” repeated Mrs. Gantry. ”Genevieve, call back your father. If the man really is violent, as Lafayette says--”
”Aunt Amice!” remonstrated Genevieve. ”Can you believe this miserable creature for an instant?”
”But it's true--it _is_ true!” gasped Ashton.
”Mrs. Gantry, dear, dear Mrs. Gantry, you'll believe me! He will kill me! Take me aboard the car! Please, please take me aboard the car and hide me!”
”My dear Genevieve,” said Mrs. Gantry, ”the poor boy is really terrified.”
”Take him to the car, if you wish,” replied Genevieve. ”He can leave it at the junction.”
”Oh, thank you, thank you, Miss Genevieve!” stammered Ashton.
But Genevieve went out without looking at him. He followed with Mrs.
Gantry, keeping close beside her.
CHAPTER x.x.xV
THE FUTURE COUNTESS
As the fugitive and his protectress pa.s.sed out through the verandah and turned away from the bridge toward the car, they were relieved to see that Blake was not yet in sight. Genevieve was hastening out the track to where her father and Dolores and Lord James stood beside the heavily loaded bridge-service train.
Before Genevieve could reach the others, Lord James and Dolores came toward her, and Dolores cried out the joyful news: ”It's safe, Vievie!--the bridge is safe now! Mr. Blake will be ash.o.r.e in a few minutes.”
”You're sure, James?” asked Genevieve. ”Quite safe?--and he--?”
”Yes, yes, give you my word! Perfectly safe now, he said, and he'll be coming soon. Er--Miss Dolores, there's your mother going back to the car.”
”And Laffi with her!”
”Quite true--quite true. I say now--you've left your m.u.f.f in the office. You'll be chilled--nipping keen wind, this. We'd best go inside while we're waiting.”
”Yes,” agreed the girl. ”Come back in, Vievie.”
”No, no, dear. I'll come later. I'll wait here with papa.”
”Ah, if you prefer,” murmured Lord James. ”But you, Miss Dolores--really you should not stand out in this wind.”
”Oh, well, if you insist,” she acquiesced, with seeming reluctance.