The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1920-08-06
CHAPTER VIII.

resolution without pausing 20 reflect,
even as one performs Immediately q
duty which there rs no question OF
not pertoTming. Nothing deferred
her: neither her inspection OF the
ladder, whose hooks were not wide
enough to grip the whole thickness
of the ledge. nor the sight OF the
prccipice, which gave an impression
that everything was about to fall
away from under her. She had to
act; and she acted
Pinning up her skirt, she stepped
across the wall, turned round, sup
ported herself on the ledge, CROPPED
with her foot in space and found one
% the rungs. Her whole body was
trembling. Her heart was beating
furIously like the olapper OF bell.
Nevertheless she had the mad cour-
age to catch hold of the two upIdghts
and go down.
II did not take long. She knew
that there were twenty rungs in all.
She counted them. when she reached
the twentieth she looked to the left
and murmured with unspeakaible Joy:
ION, Francois my daring!"
She had seen, three feet away at
most, a recess, a hollow which ap-
poured to DO the entrance 10 a cavity
cut In the rock itNelf.
Stepnane StephHne'' she
called, but In SO faint a voice that
Sdephane MaIOuX, IL he were there,
could not hear her.
She hesithted "A few seconds. but
her legs were giving way and she no
longer had the strength either to
climb up again or TO remain hanging
where she was, Taking ADVANTAGE VI
n tow irregularities in the rock and
thus shifting the ladder. at tho risk
Of unlocking IL. she succeeded. bv
sort OF miracle of which she wSs
quito aware, in catching hold OF n
flint which projected from the gram
itc and setting foot in tho cave.
Then, with fierce energy. abe mAdo
one supreme effort and. recovering
her balance with a jerk, she entered.
Sho at once saw some one. fastened
with cords, lying on "A truss OF strap
Tho cave was very small and nOr
very deep, especially in the upper por-
ton, which pointed toward the sky,
rather than the sea and which must
have looked from a distance, Like n
mere fold in the cliff. There was no
projection to bound Il at the edge.
The light entered freely.
Neronique went nearer. The man
did not move. lie was asleep.
She bent over him: though she did
not recognize him for certain, II seemed
TO her that a memory was emerging
from that dim pas in which all tho
faces OF our childhood gradually fade
away. This one was surely not I'M
known TO her; a gentle visaBe, with
regular features, fair hair flung well
back, a broad white forehead and a
slightly feminine counlOnHnce, which
reminded Veronique OF tho charming
face az a convent friend who had died
before the war.
She deftly unfostened the bonds wit IL
which the wrists were fastened to-
gether.
The man without waking imme-
diately. stretched his arulF. as though
sWbm tttng himself 10 a familiar oper-
alton, not effected for the first time,
which did not necessarily interfere
with his sleep. Presumably he was
released like this al intervals perhaps
In order 10 eat and AZ night, for he
ended by muttering:
80 early? -. But In not hungry
ana II Full llSnl.'
This last reflection astonished the
man himself lie opened his eyes and
Al once sat up where he lay so that
he might see the person who was
standing In front % him. no doubt for
the first time in broai daylight.
He was not greatly surprised, FOR
tho reason that the reality could not
have been manifest to him at once
He probably thought that he was the
sport OF a dream or an halluclnation;
and he said, in an undertone:
'Neronique NerOnique :"
She felt little embarrassed by his
gaze, but finished releasing his
bonds: and, when ne distinctly felt
her hand on his own hands and on
his imprisoned limbs. he understood
the wonderful event which her pres
ence implied and he said in a falter-
ing voice:
you! You. Can II be?
Oh, speak. Just ono word. just
you?" He continued, almost 10 him
i seiI %fe sSd It is she She " Is soT TsF;
And. auxiously, aloud,-"You 49,. .
at night on the other nights
n wasn't you who came them
II was another woman, wasn't itr
An enemy? Oh forgive me
for asking you. It's because
because / don't understand
o. How did you come here7"
II came this way" she said, point
ing 10 tho sea,
oh" he said. how wonderful"
He stared az her with dared eyes,
as ne might have stared at some
vision descended from Heaven; and
the c;rClIn stances were 80 unusual
THAI he did not think OF suppressing
the eaEerness OF his gaze.
She repeated, utterly confused
Yes. this way Francois
suggested IT,"
81 did not mention him" he said.
because. with you here, ! felt sure
that he was free
Not yet" she said, ''5dt he will bs
In an hour"
A long pause ensucd. She inter-
ruptsd It 70 conceal her agitation;
"lie will be free You shall
200 him But we must not
frigh ton him: there are things which
no doesn't know"
She perceived that ne was listening
not to the words uttered hut 10 the
voice TINT uttered them and that this
voice seemed TAI plunge him into a sort
OF ecalnsy for he was silent and
smiied, Sine thereupon smiled too
and questioned him. thus ohliging him