In time they arrived, to a turmoil of talk and tears from Mrs. Bullstone--a dislocated, agitated upheaval in which Judith Huxam and her daughter alone preserved calm. The physician found Margery bruised and cruelly shaken, but without a broken bone. There was concussion, how severe he could not immediately determine. He directed them and asked a question of Jacob before leaving. "How did she get in the water? Not intentionally I hope?" For the last time that day Bullstone was staggered beyond reason. "'Intentionally?' Good God, doctor, she's engaged to marry me!" he said. Then happened a strange thing, for in the morning, Margery proved already better after sleep, and sitting beside a convalescent sweetheart, Bullstone was reminded of one he had forgotten. With deep emotion he came to her and gasped to see how small Margery appeared, sitting up with a pink shawl round her shoulders and her hair down. Out of his joy and to steady himself, he blamed her--even assuming an angry manner. "Properly mad, and must mean a screw loose in you," he said. "To go into a raging torrent like that for a puppy! You never thought of me." "Of course I thought of you," she answered in a weary, little voice. "It was your dog and I had to save it. But in truth I thought of nothing. I was in the water before I began to think." The threatened shadow seemed still to hang over her. Her voice was weak and her manner listless. "I'd give ten years of my life if it had been me who rescued you," he said. "It's proper gall to think that any other man did it." "You must forgive him--for my sake, Jacob." "Forgive him! The mischief is that I'm under a life-long obligation now, and he may be the sort to rub it in. Not that he'll need to. I shan't forget that my debts are for ever beyond payment." "Have you thanked him?" "Not yet." She was silent and then expressed a desire that startled her lover. "No more have I. But I'm not going to let the day pass before I do." "I'll say all there's need to say." "No, Jacob. Life's life. I'm properly thankful not to be drowned. Think what he's done for me! If you say a word against, you'll vex me, and I mustn't be vexed." The subject dropped while she talked of her accident--such of it as she remembered; but she felt desirous to know the exact sequel, and that only Adam Winter could tell her. When Jacob put her off and told her to trust Winter to him, she became quite silent. Then she asked him to leave her. He went and presently the doctor called and gave a good report. He, too, brought discomfort, for Margery had repeated her wish to thank Adam Winter, and begged that she might do so immediately. She was wilful and strangely insistent, as it seemed to Jacob. Her mother, however, supported her and held it a right thing to happen. The doctor therefore advised that Mr. Winter should see her before she slept. He had found Margery so completely recovered that there was no need to call again.