"I don't know anything about a God," he said slowly, "about a Creator, but if He--if she lives," he amended, "I'll take my oath to give her up as she plead with me to. I'll never trouble her again though it tears my heart out. I ask only that she shall live." "There is one chance, Alexander," Annie said bravely. He looked around at her; then took her hand. They sat down side by side and stared at the waves. CHAPTER XIII THE ESCAPE Annie waved one hand aloft. When she spied her husband on the beach, she waved the other hand. Her movement suggested flying. "Conscious!" she cried, "she's conscious; she's going to get well!" Emil gazed at her as at an apparition. His knees bent, he dropped in a heap on the sand. Annie stooped to him: "It's life--life--life, Alexander!" she panted; "not death--life!" His arms went about his head. Annie knelt and put an arm around his heaving shoulders. She flung back her hair, lifting her face. "Life, life, life!" she whispered. And it was life. Early on the morning of the third day following the catastrophe, the doctor spoke cautiously of an improvement in the patient; there was unquestionably a favourable change. But it was only when Rachel followed the first vague opening of her eyes with a stirring of her hands, that he spoke heartily of recovery. No injury to the spine, that was clear. Merely a brain concussion, as he had hoped. But any excitement coming to her now--the doctor closed his medicine case with a snap. There was the difficulty. How to keep his wife in a state of perfect tranquillity, this was Simon's problem. Hour after hour his vigilance did duty in her chamber; but when they came, those questions of hers, so weak he had to lean to catch them, yet charged with eagerness, he knew not how to stem the tide. Her first word was of Annie. To Simon this question, after the long stillness, was like a star trembling out of complete black night. He could have wept on hearing her. "Is Annie safe?" she murmured, and followed the inquiry with a beseeching glance; "is she well?" Mindful of his task, he lifted an admonishing finger, while answering her strongly in the affirmative. "Annie," he said, "is safe and sound; she's as right as possible." She smiled up at him, a picture of peace and thankfulness. But a few moments later anxiety spoke in a soft contraction of her brow: "Emil--is he well?" "Yes, he's well; we're all well, and all of us in high spirits because of you, dear. But you must obey the doctor." Once more Rachel exhibited a face of repose; but almost immediately her eyes flew wide. "All?" she echoed, "you said all?" Simon repeated his words stoutly. "André too?" He bent his head with a stifled "yes." At something in his voice, she managed to lift herself, and as she looked at him a colourless and piteous smile came upon her lips. "Not André," she said.