"It had already been mentioned that the tide on this night was unusually high, and our reporter was apprehensive, from the position of the woman, that she was contemplating suicide. If so she had chosen a favorable moment to put her sad design into execution, for there was no person near enough to prevent her had she been expeditious. She looked neither to the right nor to the left, but down before her on the rolling river. Our reporter hastened his steps, in fear least he should be too late to arrest her purpose. "Unseen by them another man was approaching the woman, but not so rapidly as our reporter. This was a policeman who had emerged from the shadows of the Waterloo steps on the opposite side, and as, when he started, he was nearer to her than our reporter, they both reached her at the same moment. Each becoming aware of the other's presence, they would have shown recognition of it had not their attention been diverted by a sufficiently startling proceeding on the part of the woman. Still unaware that there were witnesses of her movements, she leaned forward at a perilous angle, and with all her strength threw some heavy object into the water. The force she used destroyed her balance, and she would have fallen into the river had not the policeman and our reporter laid violent hands upon her, and dragged her from her dangerous position on the ramparts. "'Just in time, thank God!' said our reporter. "'Just too late,' retorted the policeman. 'A moment sooner, and we should have saved her baby.' "'Her baby!' exclaimed our reporter. "'Yes. Didn't you hear the poor thing give a scream?' "'No.' "'You must be hard of hearing. First a sob, then a scream. Now, then, own up!' "He shook the woman roughly, but obtained no response from her. She was cowering to the flagstones, her face hidden in her hands. "Our reporter is not the stamp of man to stand idly by while the life of a human being is in danger. He stripped off his coat and waistcoat with the speed of lightning. "'That's your sort,' said the policeman. 'I can't swim; you can.' "'Not a stroke,' said our reporter, and was about to plunge into the river when the woman sprang up and caught his arm. "'For God's sake,' she said, trembling with agitation, 'do not risk your life for nothing.' "'Your baby is drowning,' cried our reporter. 'Let me go!' He strove vainly to extricate himself from her clutch. "'You shall not, you shall not!' said the woman. 'As Heaven is my judge, I have done no wrong. I have no baby; I came out alone. You are a gentleman. By all that is sacred I speak the truth!' "'The policeman says he heard a scream.' "'He is mistaken. I beg you to believe me. Oh, unhappy woman that I am? Have I not one friend in all the wide world?'