The Tidal Wave and Other Stories

gress through a veil of drifting cloud. He was streaming with water at every step, but he moved as if his drenched clothing were in no way a hindrance-steadily

through. The cottage door was ajar. He pushed it back and entered, closing it, even as he did so, with a backward fling

recumbent upon a tomb, her drenched draperies clinging about her. He stood for a second looking upon

p form and, with a certain deftness that seemed a part of hi

udden sigh came from between the parted

n almost bovine expression of countenance. Only when two hands came quivering out of the enveloping

ight," he said i

g it close about her. The cold stillness of her was gone, as though a sudden fl

he gasped. "You-why hav

not loo

. "The Death Current caught you, an

saying the words slowly as if sh

d his gr

ve about now. I thought you knew that-thought Adam would have told you. He

intake of breath; her startled eyes su

m her; she could not see his face. There followed a pause that seemed to her fevered imagination to have

severing of a taut string. She leapt to her feet, i

ly gripped his arm, "You've

istance to her grasp. She saw that his

ness," he said, speak

e door. But in an instant he wheeled, thrust out a great ar

ine!" h

way, now that. But he held her in spite of it,

still!"

a blow. She flinched at the s

ed out. "He-may be dr

drown!" s

is eyes, and the blazing blue of them made her feel as though spirit had been poured upon her flame, cons

he said again. "Do you think I'm going to let

ocity in the question.

id it. For the matter of that, I'd have gone through hell f

they formed words she could not utter. She could not take her

. All he wanted was to get you for his picture. That was all he made love to you for. He'd

and the girl recoiled from them, her face like dea

pose, and then-to throw you aside. Why"-and he suddenly showed

he words at last, but they seem

t he only wanted you for the sake of his accursed picture. That's the only thing that counts with him, and he's the sort not to care what

it rekindled her animation. With a jerky movement she flung up b

hole nature, all her pride, all her courage, were flung into that frantic appeal. She clung to the man with straining entreaty. "Oh, go down and save him!" she begged. "I'll do anything for you in return-anyt

f its fiery eyes, was still bent to hers, but she no longer shrank from it. The power that moved her was too immense to be swayed by lesser t

ct, for he stood up sharply and bac

hat you're saying

t offers and then doesn't pay. Oh, don't waste time talking! Every moment may b

is broad chest, till abruptly he put

ght and compelled her. "Just you listen a minute!" he said, and as he spoke his look swept her with a mast

ied. "Yes! On

inst the door. "And you'll stay here-yo

she cri

possessed her. "And-afterwards?" he

d sharply, as if to shut him out. "I will give you-all I

hands were gone from

her face; and even as she did so the bangi

for a long, long time in t