Page:Flying Death.pdf/61

 though he knew, now, that not she herself but her effigy had attacked him, yet he completely accused her.

"Let's play out the string here," he said; and we drifted, swinging slowly with the slight current in the lake.

The staccato of a motor cracked over the water; and a small white launch emerged from a cove on the side by the beach. A crew of two, in white ducks, manned it. They were servants, we saw, as they approached and slowed beside us.

"Want a tow, sir?" one asked me, respectfully enough, offering a line.

"Toss," bid Pete; and he caught it, whereupon he inquired, "Which side you taking us?"

"Which side, sir, do you want to go?"

"Take us to the house," said Pete and made fast the line.

The little launch towed; and from the terrace, a girl descended by a stairway to a slab of the living rock, nearly on the level of the water, which had been fashioned into a sort of pier. She came out to the end to meet us.

"There she is," said Pete, to me but never taking his eyes from her.