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Read Ebook: The Mistress of Shenstone by Barclay Florence L Florence Louisa
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Ebook has 923 lines and 43184 words, and 19 pages
"You have," said Jim Airth; "and meanwhile the sun has set, and--the tide has come up. Allow me to assist you to rise."
Lady Ingleby put her hand into his, and he helped her to her feet. She stood beside him gazing, with wide startled eyes, at the expanse of sea, the rushing waves, the tiny strip of sand.
"The tide seems very high," said Lady Ingleby.
"Very high," agreed Jim Airth. He stood close beside her, but his eyes still eagerly scanned the water. If by any chance a boat came round the point there would still be time to hail it.
"We seem to be cut off," said Lady Ingleby.
"Then I suppose we must have a boat," said Lady Ingleby.
"An excellent suggestion," replied Jim Airth, drily, "if a boat were to be had. But, unfortunately, we are two miles from the hamlet, and this is not a time when boats pass in and out; nor would they come this way. When I saw you, from the top of the cliff, I calculated the chances as to whether I could reach the boats, and be back here in time. But, before I could have returned with a boat, you would have--been very wet," finished Jim Airth, somewhat lamely.
He looked at the lovely face, close to his shoulder. It was pale and serious, but showed no sign of fear.
He glanced at the point of cliff beyond. Twenty feet above its rocky base the breakers were dashing; but round that point would be safety.
"Can you swim?" asked Jim Airth, eagerly.
Myra's calm grey eyes met his, steadily. A gleam of amusement dawned in them.
"If you put your hand under my chin, and count 'one--two! one--two!' very loud and quickly, I can swim nearly ten yards," she said.
"No go, for me," said Myra, earnestly, "nor for you, weighted by me. We should never get round that eddying whirlpool. It would merely mean that we should both be drowned. But you can easily do it alone. Oh, go at once! Go quickly! And--don't look back. I shall be all right. I shall just sit down against the cliff, and wait. I have always been fond of the sea."
Jim Airth looked at her again. And, this time, open admiration shone in his keen eyes.
"Ah, brave!" he said. "A mother of soldiers! Such women make of us a fighting race."
Myra laid her hand on his sleeve. "My friend," she said, "it was never given me to be a mother. But I am a soldier's daughter, and a soldier's widow; and--I am not afraid to die. Oh, I do beg of you--give me one handclasp and go!"
Jim Airth took the hand held out, but he kept it firmly in his own.
Jim Airth's big laugh rang out. "And Miss Murgatroyd could have sailed away in her cameo," he said.
Then, as if that laugh had broken the spell which held him inactive: "Come," he cried, and drew her to the foot of the cliff; "we have not a moment to lose! Look! Do you see the way I came down? See that long slide in the sand? I tobogganed down there on my back. Pretty steep, and nothing to hold to, I admit; but not so very far up, after all. And, where my slide begins, is a blessed ledge four foot by six." He pulled out a huge clasp-knife, opened the largest blade, and commenced hacking steps in the face of the cliff. "We must climb," said Jim Airth.
"I have never climbed," whispered Myra's voice behind him.
"You must climb to-day," said Jim Airth.
"I could never even climb trees," whispered Myra.
"You must climb a cliff to-night. It is our only chance."
He hacked on, rapidly.
Suddenly he paused. "Show me your reach," he said. "Mine would not do. Put your left hand there; so. Now stretch up with your right; as high as you can, easily.... Ah! three foot six, or thereabouts. Now your left foot close to the bottom. Step up with your right, as high as you can comfortably.... Two foot, nine. Good! One step, more or less, might make all the difference, by-and-by. Now listen, while I work. What a God-send for us that there happens to be, just here, this stratum of soft sand. We should have been done for, had the cliff been serpentine marble. You must choose between two plans. I could scrape you a step, wider than the rest--almost a ledge--just out of reach of the water, leaving you there, while I go on up, and finish. Then I could return for you. You could climb in front, I helping from below. You would feel safer. Or--you must follow me up now, step by step, as I cut them."
"I could not wait on a ledge alone," said Myra. "I will follow you, step by step."
"Good," said Jim Airth; "it will save time. I am afraid you must take off your shoes and stockings. Nothing will do for this work, but naked feet. We shall need to stick our toes into the sand, and make them cling on like fingers."
He pulled off his own boots and stockings; then drew the belt from his Norfolk jacket, and fastened it firmly round his left ankle in such a way that a long end would hang down behind him as he mounted.
He picked up Myra's shoes and stockings, and put them into his big pockets.
At that moment an advance wave rushed up the sand and caught their bare feet.
"Oh, Jim Airth," cried Myra, "go without me! I have not a steady head. I cannot climb."
He put his hands upon her shoulders, and looked full into her eyes.
She looked up into his eyes, despairingly. They blazed into hers from beneath his bent brows. She felt the tremendous mastery of his will. Her own gave one final struggle.
"I have nothing to live for, Jim Airth," she said. "I am alone in the world."
He loosed her shoulders and took her by the wrists. He lifted her trembling hands, and held them against his breast.
For a moment they stood so, in absolute silence.
Then Myra felt herself completely dominated. All fear slipped from her; but the assurance which took its place was his courage, not hers; and she knew it. Lifting her head, she smiled at him, with white lips.
"I shall not fall," she said.
Another wave swept round their ankles, and remained there.
"Good," said Jim Airth, and loosed her wrists. "We shall owe our lives to each other. Next time I look into your face, please God, we shall be in safety. Come!"
He sprang up the face of the cliff, standing in the highest niches he had made.
Then, as he drove his blade into the cliff, Jim Airth's gay voice rang out:
"Of all the wives as e'er you know, Yeo ho! lads! ho! Yeo ho! Yeo ho! There's none like Nancy Lee, I trow, Yeo ho! lads! ho! Yeo ho! See there she stands
--Blow! I've struck a rock! Not a big one though. Remember this step will be slightly more to your right
--and waves her hands, Upon the quay, And ev'ry day when I'm away, She'll watch for me; And whisper low, when tempests blow--
Oh, hang these unexpected stones! That's finished my big blade!
--For Jack at sea, Yeo ho! lads, ho! Yeo ho!
Now the chorus.
The sailor's wife the sailor's star shall be,--
Come on! You sing too!"
"Yeo ho! we go, Across the sea!"
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