Page:The Wreck of a World - Grove - 1890.djvu/74

58 broken, and they all stampeded like a troop of wild ponies. On reaching the bank, however, some of the boldest turned round to look behind. They saw that Aurelia had by gesticulations and shouts drawn off the pursuit of the machines on herself, and was now running towards the wood, hotly chased, and doubling again and again like a hare, but rapidly losing strength and drawing closer every moment to the terrible arms of steel which clutched the air in furious grasp at their victim. And then they saw no more, for their comrades in the boats, and the boats' crews as well, screamed to them to take their places or they would row off without them. They had, however, no sort of doubt that the chase could have lasted but a short time longer, and that only a few minutes after they had turned away my brave girl had met her fate. At least she had met it not unworthily. She had deliberately sacrificed her life, but had saved her young charge, and, bitter as was my grief, I could even then thank God that He had given my child grace to win the crown of martyrdom.

I would not, however, proceed on our journey while the remotest hope was left. We could do nothing