So I busied myself, though I couldn’t do a bit of good. The instant we
touched bottom, Dan snatched her, sprang through the water and up the
landing. I stayed behind; as the boat recoiled, pushed in a little,
fastened the anchor and threw it over, and then followed.
Our house was next the landing, and there Dan had carried Faith; and
when I reached it, a great fire was roaring up the chimney, and the
teakettle hung over it, and he was rubbing Faith’s feet hard enough to
strike sparks. I couldn’t understand exactly what made Dan so fiercely
earnest, for I thought I knew just how he felt about Faith; but suddenly,
when nothing seemed to answer, and he stood up and our eyes met, I saw
such a haggard, conscience-stricken face that it all rushed over me. But
now we had done what we could, and then I felt all at once as if every
moment that I effected nothing was drawing out murder. Something flashed
by the window, I tore out of the house and threw up my arms, I don’t know
whether I screamed or not, but I caught the doctor’s eye, and he jumped
from his gig and followed me in. We had a siege of it. But at length,
with hot blankets, and hot water, and hot brandy dribbled down her
throat, a little pulse began to play upon Faith’s temple, and a little
pink to beat up and down her cheek, and she opened her pretty dark eyes
and lifted herself and wrung the water out of her braids; then she sank
back.
“Faith! Faith! speak to me!” said Dan, close in her ear. “Don’t you know
me?”
“Go away,” she said hoarsely, pushing his face with her flat wet palm.
“You let the sail take me over and drown me, while you kissed Georgie’s
hand.”
I flung my hand before her eyes.
“Is there a kiss on those fingers?” I cried, in a blaze. “He never kissed
my hands or my lips. Dan is your husband, Faith!”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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