Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-26
CHAPTER XI-Continued.

This is horrible. I'll give hundred
pounds to the man who brings the boy
to shore alive
| II doubt a million would do it II he's
been under water all this time muir
| INJURED some one.
Was 1t real. this excited. unnerved con-
Germ: or merely acted anxiety to i'm
press the bystanders; or, again. belated
remorse born of participation in guilty
foreknowledge of cruel deed? Sadie
! watched him closely as she asked herself
these questions In the light of what she
had seen done in the boat.
A cry from Billings in the tree broke
| in upon her thoughts. The punt's reach
ed Mr.. Dorrison. my lord"
He was seen to Chamber into the punt,
helped by the men. and instantly he
plunged in again. A faint cheer was
raised at this plucky act.
He do stick to 'un,' said a gardener,
admiringly.
He'd give his life to save the boy"
| declared Lord Broadstone. who heard this.
They amt found him. my lord" an
nounced the man on watch.
| And SO the search continued for half
an hour or more. Dorrison lying in the
| bottom of the punt. exhausted with his
efforts. until the watcher In the tree
Master Jack. my lord; but l doubt 1t s
only the body.
They saw the men in the punt hoist the
lad in. The man who had brought him up
followed. and the punt was headed for the
spot where they all stood waiting with
bated breath.
In the midst Of the suspense, Eva,
white-faced and distraught with shock.
was seen coming from the house. where
she had heard rumors Of the tragedy.
oho dead hndV IL will cost
her her life or her reason, my lord said
Sadie.
How can 1 stop her?'' he cried, weak
ly, wringing his hands.
You must, my lord. Get her back to
the house by force if need be- cried
Sadie. greatly daring Say that her
presence will injure her brother. Any
thing!''
Her will and insistence conquered
him. He ran to intercept Eva, and, to
| Sadie's relief. she saw him lead her
back to the house.
Then in her strong resourceful prac-
| teal way she took command of things
| She sent one man hurrying to the
ers improvised a rough litter. and herself
| helped to lift the boy out Of the punt
and felt for his pulse.
Then she made a discovery Fastened
to the left wrist. with dangling end
| about foot in length, was white sllken
cord. slight. but yet strong enough TO
| have held down a body five times the
weight of Jack Petherby.
Without a moments hesitation she freed
| it from the wrist as he lay the litter,
and as she rose with it in her hand Dor
rison's white face was turned toward her.
He was staggering along with man sup
porting him under each arm.
He had fastened the main sheet to MS
wrist he stammered his teeth chatter
| ing between his livid lips from the. chill
which set his whole frame shivering and
quivering as in an ague. He was exhaust
ed almost to the point Of collapse.
Sadie made no reply. but made the men
| hurry with Jack to the house with all
possible speed. On the way DR.. Bradford
met them and took charge.
Sadie hurried to her room. taking the
| cord with her. Like the rest. she was
drenched to the skin and she made haste
| to take off her wet things. All the while
she was conscious of a curious detach-
ment Of mind. For the moment even Eva
| herself was forgotten in the all-absorolnG
problem of that piece of white silken cora.
| 1t oppressed and half-terrorized her, start
| ing wild thoughts, narrowing and rear
compelling in their grim suggestiveness:
! Only with a desperate effort could she
| break the gruesome fascination when the
thing had for her, and then she locked
the cord away and went in search of Eva
| Lord Broadstone had succeeded In get
| ting Eva to return to the house on the
! pretext that she could do more good by
seeing that all preparations were mace
| for Jack: but for all her tenderness and
| sympathy she was not able to be Of much
| use. She gave some directions to the
| housekeeper and then hurried to her own
| ROOM too unnerved to do more
| Sadie found her alone there with a look
| of hopeless agony on her gray-white face
She was anticipating the worst. and her
| husband had served to deepen her alarm
by all that he had said.
When Sadie entered she started up
wildly. You have come TO- tell me JACK
NO I have not. I have come to tell
YOU what I know The calm, firm tone
was in measure reassuring.
But you think he will die? Oh Mar
garet! 1t will kill me-
THE issue of life or death is not In our
hands: but we can pray that all will yet
be we'll"
II will never pray again If he is taken
from me-the only soul on earth who
cares for me- Oh. God. oh. God. have
mercy and give him back to me- and she
threw herself on her knees and clasped
her hands fervently. But almost directly
she sprang up again and cried wildly: 1T
will kill me. 1 will not live. Will not
live
This wildness will not aid him and
will harm you. Come: try to listen calmly
while 1 tell you. The boat upset In the
middle of the lake, and some time elapsed
before any one could get to the spot with
help. But he has been brought ashore.
and DR.. Bradford is now using all his
skill to bring him round
He will not do ii. He is dead. L
know it," broke in Eva. passionately.
1T is in Gods hands. and you have no
right to rebel against His wisdom. Ihis
was said very firmly. and with touch OF
sternness. It had some effect In calming
| the child-for child she was. despite her
| twenty and more years.
Il am wicked I know: but, oh, so mis-
cradle, Margaret she walled.
Come. lie here" and Sadie got her to
| a couch and laid a rug over her and
| talked sOothingly and as hopefully as she
| could. yet seeking to prepare her for the
worst. She herself had no doubt of the
| issue The white cord had convinced her.
Presently Eva put her hand into Sa-
dies You won't leave me. Margaret,
| will you?'' she asked, wistfully. Some
how l feel stronger and calmer when you
| are with me-
| NO. l won't leave you. ! promise. Let
me read to you She chose of design
| that mournful but lovely story of the
passages she could remember of the
vine will.
| So the time passed heavily while they
waited Now and then Eva would inter
rupt with questions about the long delay
| and what it meant; whether good or i'll.
! But as the minutes ran on and more than
an hour had ebbed, hope ebbed with it..
| II must know, Margaret. I cannot bear
this suspense. Better the worst than
! this" she moaned.
Then try to resign yourself to the
| worst" answered Sadie The long delay