Wade's voice.
"Why have you come? What good can you do here?"
"Don't be angry with me!" she implored. "I couldn't stay at home--
I couldn't!"
"I don't mean to speak angrily.--Think," he added, in low shaken
voice, "if that poor girl is lying"----
A sob broke off his sentence; he pointed down into the black water.
Mrs. Wade uttered no reply, but he heard the sound of her weeping.
They stood thus for a long time, then Denzil raised his hand.
"Look! They are coming!"
There was a spot of light far off, moving .slowly.
"I can hear the oars," he added presently.
It was in a lull of the soughing wind. A minute after there came a
shout from far across the black surface. Denzil replied to it, and
so at length the boat drew near.
Mr. Liversedge stood up, and Quarrier talked with him in brief,
grave sentences. Then a second lantern was lighted by the boatman,
and presently the dragging began.
Wrapped in a long cloak, Mrs. Wade stood at a distance, out of sight
of the water, but able to watch Denzil. When cold and weariness all
but overcame her, she first leaned against the trunk of a tree, then
crouched there on the ground. For how long, she had no idea. A
little rain fell, and afterwards the sky showed signs of clearing;
stars were again visible here and there. She had sunk into a
half-unconscious state, when Quarrier's voice spoke to her.
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