Page:Rowland--The Mountain of Fears.djvu/314

   half hidden in the foliage, a diminutive jetty with a dozen steps leading into the dark green shadows. As our sampan drew near I saw a woman with a toddling child on either side step from this plushy background and descend the steps. Seeing me, a white man and a stranger, she paused at the head of the toy jetty, but as Dalton, wearing his dark glasses, began to fumble at the ladder with no hail, no word of greeting, she slipped her hands from those of the children and ran forward swiftly.

Hugh! . . .' she cried. '. . . Hugh!'

" 'One minute, girlie,' answered Dalton. His voice was full, cheerful, a fat voice, Doctor, and a trifle flat in timbre, and as it reached the ears of the woman I saw her stop as one might stop who runs to meet a bullet full in the chest.

" 'Hugh!' she cried again, and as she was by this time close at hand, I spoke.

He has met with an accident to his eyes [ 298 ]