Jupiter Lights

and on Eve

ely stood beside her, candle in han

n an instant. She li

dress him. Eve brought all the little garments quickly. "Are you goin

es

on her o

he hands of both women moved r

t. But he will come back; and then, if

now," said Eve, buttoning her dress, and t

hrough the ballroom, and

nce ou

ust h

whe

he th

rge space. Supposin

ning Jack's little c

aid Eve; "I'll t

ogether outside in the dark hall. The seconds passed and turned into minutes; the minutes became three, then five; but the space of time seemed a half-hour. Eve, standing still in the darkness

, half dressed and carrying a lighted candle, appeared, his eyes fierce and fixed, his cheeks flushed. At that mo

whispere

behind them, led the way to the north wing; Eve followed, or rather she kept by her side. After a

Cicely whispered.

d in Eve's room, then; he had divined their flight, and was following. Cicely's hand swiftly found and lifted the latch; she opened the d

e followed her; they drew down the window behind them from the outside. There was a moon, but dark clouds obscured its light; the air was still

e foliage. They could see nothing, but t

veranda; he had made his way out. Then followed silence; the silence was wor

topped beating, she thought that they were discovered; escape was cut off, for the thorns and spiny leaves held their skirts like so many hands. But the fixed eyes did not see them; after a moment the beautiful, cruel face,

y crept into the road, Eve carrying Jack. But, once outside, Cicely took him again. The

to the north point. "There's no thicket

a mile. The white sand of the track

fer, after all, in t

am some one else, a woman who is going to attack his wife; and he

k! Give him to me, Cicely

o any one-any one," Ci

gh a rift in the clouds; suddenly it was as light as day

down the front of your dress?" sai

h her chin towards her left shoulder; "I suppose it has begun to ble

ht was far away; but it was advancing in their direction. Little Jack, fully awakened by their rapid flight, had lifted his head, trying to see his mother's face; as no o

wait for me; I'm in no danger," Eve cal

ly could not launch it. She strained every muscle to the utmost; in her ears there was a loud rushing sound; she paused dizzily, turning her head away from the water for a moment, and as she did so, she too saw the gleam, pale in the moonlight, far down the path. She did

d loudly. "He is not hurt; at least not seriously," she said to herself. Then, turning into the w

ssion, whose slight signs she had noticed, the flattening of the corners of the mouth; this was now so deepened that his lips wore a slight grin. Jack's wail, which had ceased for several minutes, now began again, and at the

n to run towards the boat. At the same moment there was the crack, not loud, of a pistol discharged very near. The running man lu

and the boat moved, it slid down slowly and gratingly; more and more of its long length entered the water, until at last only the bow still touched the sand. Eve jumped in, pushed off with an oar, and then, stepping over Cicely's prostrate form to reach one of the seats, she sat down and began to row, brushing littl

them from Abercrombie Island. Still she could not stop. She looked at Cicely's motionless figure; Jack, weary

e, mechanically, still

temples, wetting her handkerchief by dipping it over the boat's side, and then pressing it on the dead-white little face. Cicely sighed. Then

ingleton Island, and no one is following us." She lifted

hild passionately. But she fell

s touch she turned down the little lace ruffle, whi

d its aim, it was low down on the throat, near the

hands and sat up. "Where

, hesitatingly. "Don't you remember that he

said Cicely. "And now I w

muffled the child in a shawl, and made him walk with her to the edge of the water.

at least for the present. The steamer stops at Singleton Landing at daw

e him walking. If he followed us, as you say, why don't I see him!" She put a hand on each si

mad?" s

cried Cic

her hands. "He

id Cicely, turning

nswered Eve, in a

one for a boat,"

gerly. And for a moment the two women g

"What are we thinking of? Do

it weren't for Jack!" Her despai

et me take him awa

to any one; I will ne

e present; we will go farther north t

-one person, and that is Paul; Ferdie

; we will

down on the sand; she sat down beside him, rearranged the shawl under him and over him, and then, as he fe

lay dark on the western side, a boat coming in pursuit; he would have had time, perhaps, to get to the skiff which was kept on that side, not far from the point; he knew where all the boa

e old man, and women? There was no door there which he could not batter down, no lock which could keep

her clasped arms against the trunk of one of them, and, layi