When the hour of Mary's home-coming arrived and there was no sight of her along the Valley trail, Helen McClure grew mildly anxious. With the passage of an hour and still no sign she became alarmed and consulted McClure. He betrayed no evidences of anxiety and endeavoured to calm the agitated7 woman. It was during the furious outbreak of the storm that she saw the riderless horse trot swiftly down the lane. A dread8 seized her and she called to Rob.
He was seated in his office, his eye fixed9 in remarkable10 tenderness upon the two faces that for the last few days had haunted him. The anguished11 tone of his wife smote12 him and a wave of shame passed over his face. He dropped his head upon his hand. A curious enervation13 sapped his strength. That cry with its tender distress14 broke something hard within him. He could not lift up his head. The fact of the bribe15 and its mighty16 lure6 were forgotten. In the space of one marvellous instant he became humane17. In upon him surged an overwhelming solicitude18 for Mary's safety. Endearing memories rushed upon him. His dishonour19 and the pathos20 of Mary's betrayal cried out in the smitten21 cry of his wife. Remorse22 and contrition23 were strangely confused in the mind that refused to work with its accustomed celerity. Grimly he reflected that the office of the blue automatic was desirable. Opening the drawer he thrust his hand within. The gun was gone. Who could take it? His wife? Mary? Ah, it was Mary. He brushed his brow in a troubled gesture. In upon the deepening gloom burst a disquieting24 fear.
"Rob!" came the cry again in a low frightened tone. "Bobs has come home without Mary. He must have thrown her. Perhaps she is injured or—killed."
"Tut, tut, Helen!" was his answer. "She is not hurt. Have no fear for Mary. She is too good a rider. She is walking along the trail."
"But it is so late," objected the mother anxiously.
Together they went out to where Bobs was refreshing25 himself at the trough. A quick examination of the horse aroused in McClure a new uneasiness. The bridle26 was torn and the rein27 gone. Suddenly Helen discovered something Rob hoped she would not see.
"Here are marks of the spurs," called his wife. "Mary never uses these terrible things."
She pointed29 to red dabs30 along the flank.
Passing about the horse Rob discovered a bloody31 mark on Bobs' white hip32 that aroused a panic in his own breast. Beneath the smear33 of blood there was no wound. His wife detected what he was looking at.
"That cannot be from the spurs," she cried in a stricken voice. "Mary has met with an accident, that she made a wild effort to escape."
She sought his eye.
"Listen, Helen!" said he in a low tone, transfixed by her compelling glance. "Do not jump to wild conclusions and believe all I say. You may never forgive me. You must believe me. Mary is not hurt. She has gone with Chesley Sykes. They will come back again. He was to intercept34 her on her way from school. It was all arranged. I gave my consent and Hank Foyle was to help him out. He will marry our girl."
His confession35 had come in a slow, passionless voice. As the truth dawned upon her the blood receded36 from her face, leaving her white and haggard. Old age seemed to have fallen magically upon her. Her lips moved as if to speak, but no sound issued forth37. She reeled as if struck. Rob threw his arms about her. At his touch she stood erect38 and rigid39. Thrusting him gently from her, she turned away with a low moan.
With bowed head he led Bobs to the stable and went slowly, dazedly40 into the house. All within was quiet. The stillness troubled him. His wife had secluded41 herself. He called her name but no answer came back. Making a swift search he found her at length in Mary's room. She knelt before the bed fondling some trinkets she had spread out upon the counterpane. Her eyes were fixed upon a tiny photograph. It was a likeness42 of Mary when a babe.
"Ah, poor little baby!" she whispered. "They have broken your dear little heart."
As Rob watched the stricken creature an exquisite43 pain stabbed his own soul. Walking over to her he threw his great arms about her.
"Listen, Helen," said he brokenly. "Before God Almighty44 I'll bring Mary back to you."
She seemed not to hear him.
Rising he walked out.
Hitching45 up his team he pushed them at a terrific pace for Magee's Cove28. He arrived at the Cove thankful to find that the bloods were still there. He was ahead of the boat. He soon discovered it out in the lake and in grave peril46. Before he could fully47 realize the situation the boat crashed upon the Storm Rock. In the closing dusk he fancied he saw a gleam of white upon the rock. Obsessed48 with a wild hope that it was Mary he sent his horses at a gallop1 to Magee's and got out his big steam launch just as Andy and his party came up, bent49 on the same purpose. Supplementing the engine with oars50 they drove for the rock, picking Foyle up near shore. The tale he gave them impelled51 them to heroic effort and they fought their way steadily52 toward the rock. When near they discovered two figures, taking them for Mary and Sykes. Their astonishment53 knew no bounds when they found out that Mary's companion was Ned.
The return was effected easily and speedily. The boat was cutting through the breakers not far from shore when Lawrie, who was in the prow54, gave a peculiar55 cry and signalled the reversal of the engine. It was called forth by an object rocking amid the flotsam. Instantly the boat was halted and backed to where the object lay in the water.
"My God!" cried Easy Murphy, as they rode alongside. "It's Sykes, poor divil!"
At the words a moan came from somebody. Through McClure passed a shudder56 and he drew Mary close to him. Producing a rope they attached it to the gruesome thing out in the waves and started shoreward once more.
Mary was taken direct to her home. Mrs. Grant insisted on warmth and refreshment57, but Rob would hear of no delay.
"Her mother is waiting," said he, with the saddest of smiles.
The drive was accomplished58 at a speed that brought the bays to rest at the McClure threshold in a reek59 of sweat.
On that home-coming no eyes must peer. Upon Helen McClure's face lay the ineffaceable scars of her dark vigil. But her heart was healed by the miracle of the storm.
And Ned? The tonic60 of love and youth more than pulled him through.
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1
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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nibbled
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| v.啃，一点一点地咬（吃）( nibble的过去式和过去分词 )；啃出（洞），一点一点咬出（洞）；慢慢减少；小口咬 | |
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lure
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| n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引 | |
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agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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anguished
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| adj.极其痛苦的v.使极度痛苦(anguish的过去式) | |
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12
smote
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| v.猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去式 ) | |
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enervation
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| n.无活力，衰弱 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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bribe
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| n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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humane
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| adj.人道的，富有同情心的 | |
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solicitude
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| n.焦虑 | |
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19
dishonour
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| n./vt.拒付（支票、汇票、票据等）；vt.凌辱，使丢脸；n.不名誉，耻辱，不光彩 | |
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pathos
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| n.哀婉，悲怆 | |
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smitten
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| 猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去分词 ) | |
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remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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contrition
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| n.悔罪，痛悔 | |
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24
disquieting
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| adj.令人不安的，令人不平静的v.使不安，使忧虑，使烦恼( disquiet的现在分词 ) | |
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25
refreshing
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| adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的 | |
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26
bridle
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| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
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rein
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| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
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28
cove
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| n.小海湾，小峡谷 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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30
dabs
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| 少许( dab的名词复数 )； 是…能手； 做某事很在行； 在某方面技术熟练 | |
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31
bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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32
hip
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| n.臀部，髋；屋脊 | |
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smear
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| v.涂抹；诽谤，玷污；n.污点；诽谤，污蔑 | |
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34
intercept
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| vt.拦截，截住，截击 | |
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35
confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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36
receded
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| v.逐渐远离( recede的过去式和过去分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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38
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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39
rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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40
dazedly
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| 头昏眼花地，眼花缭乱地，茫然地 | |
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41
secluded
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| adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词) | |
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42
likeness
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| n.相像，相似（之处） | |
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43
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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44
almighty
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| adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的 | |
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45
hitching
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| 搭乘； （免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的现在分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上 | |
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46
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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47
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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48
obsessed
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| adj.心神不宁的,鬼迷心窍的,沉迷的 | |
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49
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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50
oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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51
impelled
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| v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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52
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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53
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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54
prow
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| n.(飞机)机头，船头 | |
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55
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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56
shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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57
refreshment
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| n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点 | |
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58
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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59
reek
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| v.发出臭气；n.恶臭 | |
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60
tonic
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| n./adj.滋补品，补药，强身的，健体的 | |
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