Part 21 (2/2)

It was these pools that Jervis feared If Mary had slipped into one of these deep places sheflood, and drowned before help could reach her

The ht turned hi whistle came so promptly, and sounded so close, that he started in surprise, then shouted: ”Where are you?”

”Here,” replied a voice that sounded so close, so audibly that he looked round inbelow hiht the flutter of a handkerchief on the far side But how could he reach there? Down he plunged with reckless haste, having little or no regard for his own safety-and, indeed, he who hesitated here was lost, for at every step the rock cruht

”It will be queer work getting back!” he said to hiulch, where now he could see Mary Selincourt crouched on a narrow ledge or shelf against a perpendicular cliff, while the water was rising higher and higher, creeping nearer and nearer to where she sat

How could he rescue her froh-water mark, in which case patient endurance would be all that was needed until the tide ran out again A glance at the wall of cliff behind Mary proved this hope to be futile, for the mark of the water showed above her head, and if she were not rescued speedily, he could only stand by and see her drown

”Are you hurt?” he called out when he had scrah to talk to her

”I have twisted my foot rather badly,” she said in an exhausted tone, ”and I see I had great difficulty to o for help, but I think it understood at last, because it went off at such a pace”

”Well, we et you out of this as soon as possible, for the tide is co down to the edge of the dividing water, and wondering whether he could wade or if he et one, I expect,” she answered, with a nervous laugh ”Be careful, Mr Ferrars, there is a very deep place just below this shelf, and the water showed there before anywhere else; it seemed to ooze up from the bottom”

”Ioff his jacket and his boots; then, slipping into the water, he struck out and crossed the strip of rising tide, which lay like a river along the bottoulch

But when he reached the shelf it was above hi

”You must roll off that shelf and drop into the water,” he said in a sharp, decided tone

”Oh, I dare not! I cannot swi ashen white

”You won't droill catch you But make haste, this water is so cold that I a his teeth chatter Although it was July, there was so s that the water was of course fearfully chill

”I can't do it; I simply can't!” she cried, with a shudder ”Mr Ferrars, I would rather lie here and drown than have to roll off into that dreadful water Allme to be brave now”

”You h up forhis voice as steady as he could, although his teeth were chattering still; ”but all the ti your own death you coo away, and save yourself,” she groaned

”I cannot, I dare not, plunge into that dreadful water!”

”You irl, and take the plunge,” he urged, a note of entreaty co into his tone, for life eet to him, sweeter than it had ever been before, and it was dreadful to think that he irl refused to allow herself to be saved But she only covered her face with her hands, rip

Then Jervis felt hi fast, and now, by straining upward and reaching as far as he could, he ed just to touch the shelf whereon Mary was crouched,

”Here I aently

She only covered her face with her hands and ulch they were sheltered fro to pour down in torrents, and Jervis thought grimly that she would soon be as wet as if she had taken the plunge

He was kicking vigorously in the water, and was thankful to find that, now he had got over the first chill, his teeth were not chattering so miserably

Another ten h in the water to scrae, and then it would have to be a tussle of physical strength, if necessary, for he meant to save Mary somehohether she would let him or not