Page:Cerise, a tale of the last century (IA cerisetaleoflast00whytrich).pdf/340

 tender care as if she had been his own Alice, of whom, indeed, he was thinking at the moment. "A real bad job, if ever there was one. Such a heart of oak as this here; an' a likely lass too, though as black as a nor'-easter. Well, somebody'll have to pay for this night's work, that's sartin. Ay! yell away, you black beggars. We'll give you something to sing out for presently—an' you shall have it hot and heavy when you do get it, as sure as my name's Slap-Jack!"

Captain George, in the meantime, led the two ladies swiftly down the open space before them, in the direction of the lagoon, which was now in sight. They had but to thread one more belt of lofty forest-trees, from which the wild vines hung in a profusion of graceful festoons, and they were on the brink of the cool, peaceful water, spread like a sheet of silver at their feet.

"Five minutes more," said he, "and we are safe. Once across, and if that girl speaks truth, less than a quarter of a league will bring us to the beach. All seems quiet, too, on this side, and there is little chance of our being intercepted from the town. The boat will be in waiting within a cable's length off shore, and my signal will bring her in at once. Then I shall hope to conduct you safe on board, but both madame and mademoiselle must excuse a sailor's rough accommodation and a sailor's unceremonious welcome."

The Marquise did not immediately answer. She was looking far ahead into the distance, as though she heard not, or at least heeded not, and yet every tone of his voice was music to her ears, every syllable he spoke curdled like some sweet and subtle poison in her blood. Notwithstanding the severe fatigue and fierce excitement of the night, she walked with head erect, and proud imperious step, like a queen amongst her courtiers, or an enchantress in the circle she has drawn. There was a wild brilliancy in her eyes, there was a fixed red spot on either cheek; but for all her assumption of pride, for all her courage and all her self-command, her hand trembled, her breath came quick, and the Marquise knew that she had never yet felt so thoroughly a weak and dependent woman as now, when she turned at last to thank her preserver for his noble