Part 67 (2/2)

The weary night came to an end at last, as such nights do. Several times Mrs. Somerset had crept in. They had been unable to gather any reliable news about the _Minerva's_ pa.s.sengers. The s.h.i.+p had gone down, but whether the people had been saved they had been unable as yet to ascertain.

A glorious sunrise succeeded a night of storm and terror, and its crimson beams came in on Norah. Hastily rising, and throwing on her hat and jacket she ran out into the morning freshness longing to feel the cool air.

She only wanted to get away from herself.

She climbed the steep ascent up the ”Rock,” past the governor's house, then stood and gazed at this wonderful scene.

And she stood thus, wrapped up in sad thoughts and antic.i.p.ations of evil, a great, great joy lay very near her.

Edgar Wylie had thrown himself into the sea, and lost consciousness from the effects of a blow. Several boats had braved the furious sea, and come out to save the unfortunate people if possible.

Thus it was that he was picked up, as well as a young fellow he had risked his life to save.

When he came to himself, he found he had been brought to the nearest hotel, and a doctor was in attendance. There was, however, nothing really the matter with him. He had, it is true, been stunned by the sharp spar that had come in contact with his head, but no real injury had been done.

A good night's rest had restored him to himself. He woke early the following morning, and rising went out to breathe the fresh pure air.

Thus it came to pa.s.s that the husband and wife were pa.s.sing each other in their morning walk, and they did not know it.

And yet, as his tall figure pa.s.sed her, a thrill of memory went through her, a something in the walk reminded her of her husband.

Both had arrived at the supreme crisis of their lives, and yet they might never have met, but for a small incident, and a rather funny one.

Norah had taken off her hat and had laid it carelessly beside her on the low wall on which she was leaning, when she became aware of some one taking possession of it, and looking round she saw the impudent face of a monkey disappearing with it up the steep side of the ”Rock.”

She had no energy to recover it, and was standing helplessly watching his movements when she saw the stranger who had pa.s.sed her set off in pursuit of the truant.

She soon lost sight of him, and had again sunk into a reverie when a voice said: ”Here is your hat; I have rescued it. I think it is none the worse for this adventure.”

Oh, that voice! Norah's heart stood still, she was stunned and could not believe that she heard aright. Was she dreaming? ”The rascal was caught by one of the sentries, evidently he is quite at home with them, and the soldier on duty coaxed it from him.”

Then Norah turned, there was no longer room for doubt, her eyes were riveted on the grey ones fixed on her.

[Sidenote: ”You are not Dead!”]

”Then you are not dead,” was the thought that flashed through her mind.

Her tongue was dry and parched; her heart, which had seemed to stop, bounded forward, as though it must burst its bonds.

”Oh, Edgar!” she cried, losing all self-command; ”oh, if it is you, forgive me, don't leave me. Don't let me wake and find it a dream!”

A strange whizzing and whirling came over her, and then she felt herself held securely by a strong arm and a face was bent to hers. When she recovered herself somewhat, she found that she was seated on a bank, supported by her husband.

It was his voice that said in the old fond tones: ”Oh, Norah, my Norah, we are together again, never, never more to part. Forgive me, darling, for all I have made you suffer in the past.”

”Forgive you! Oh, Edgar! Will you forgive me?”

The sun rose higher, and sounds of everyday life filled the air, drawing those two into the practical everyday world, out of the sunny paradise in which they had been basking while Norah sat leaning against that strong true heart that all these years had beat only for her.

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