Jeanne of the Marshes

empty places. A lurid sunrise gave little promise of better weather, but by six o'clock the wind had fallen, and the full tide was swelling the creeks. On a sand-bank, far down amongst the

len tree. But Jeanne knew none of these things. Her face was turned towards the ocean and the rising sun. She felt the sting of the sea wind upon her cheeks, all the nameless exhilaration of the early morning sweetness. Far out seaward the long breakers, snow-flecked and white crested, came rolling in with a long, monotonous mur

. The swelling tide had circled round through some unseen channel, and was creeping now into the land by many creeks and narrow ways. She herself was upon an island, cut off from the dry land by a smoothly flowing tidal way more than twenty yards across. Along it a man in a flat-bottomed boat was punting his way towards her. She stood and waited for him, admiring his height, and the long powerful strokes with wh

get in?"

swimming back," he answered

s of her thin shoes and open-work stockings. Andrew de la Borne hel

h her slight foreign accent, "to come a

en altogether submerged. You might have been a prisoner for a few hours. Perhaps as

omfortably as possibl

his is not a real adventure. Wh

wered, "to the village. I sup

ght across from the gate. I never th

d," he answered. "It is a good deal fu

side, rejoicing in the to

. It is very early still, and I do not fancy

It had never occurred to her to doubt at first but that he was some fisherman from the village, for he wore a rough jersey and a pair of trousers tucked into sea-boots. His face was bronzed, and his

a little curiously. "Do

n at her with

ge," he answered, "a

fisherman?"

ered gravely. "We ar

nt. His words were civil enough, and yet he had more the air of one addressing an equal than

he said, "that you saw me. Are yo

was thinking of fishing, hi

said, "that I sp

med far indeed removed from any of the women of those parts. Her dark hair was arranged after a fashion that was strange to him. Her delicately pale skin, her deep grey eyes,

sh," he remarked,

ook he

mother French. I was born in England, though.

e villagers, you see, have not

looking at him a little doubtfu

is no doubt whatever about it. Can you see ou

his outstre

" she answered. "

nod

st of my time,

said, a little doubtful

ged his

am only ten minutes' sail

long and low, with its plaster

g," she admitted, "to live up

he ans

you live quite a

e to look after me," he said. "Except for that I am quite alone. I am going to set you as

d, watching the waves break agains

e said, "to see that house. C

ok his

he said, "and my sailing boat is up at t

as not used to having any r

village," she asked, "an

ok his

he said, "in a differe

ed her out. She hesitated for

he said coldly, "for the time you h

rude clothes and country dialect, this man was no ordinary villager. He said nothing, h

e trees there. You cannot miss your way, I think, and if you will take my advice you will not wander about in the marshes

very much," she answered, t

e in his hand. He came hastily down the road to meet her, a very slim and elegant fi

only just heard that you were out. Do you g

ound herself contrasting for a moment this very elegant young

nearly drowned, and rescued by a most marvellous person. He brought me back to safety in a flat-bottomed

nest?" Cecil as

he tide had come up behind me without my noticing. A most mysterious person came to my rescue. He wore the clothes of a

ed up towards the house. A slight f

now him?"

es all alone, and is a bit cranky, they say. Come in and have some

ook he

ered. "I am going upstairs to change. I am just a lit

l si

murmured, "and I was looking for

ead as she left

appear with the others later on. Please find

his face grew darker

his time," he muttered,