ng at
Gard, and what could one man do against so many?

"They have killed him," she moaned.

And the Vicar could only tighten his pale lips, and smooth her hair with
his thin white hand, as she writhed on the ground at his side. For he
could but think she was right. They were good shots, the Sark men, and
it needs but one bullet to kill a man.

If Nance had looked a moment longer she might have seen Gard slip down
from the ridge to the wall, but the bombardment of the shelter, which
gave him his chance, made an end of her hopes, and her face was hidden
in the turf.

The Vicar's sight was not keen enough to see clearly what was passing.
But when the men landed on the rock, and overran it in their search, he
could not fail to see their figures on the ridge against the sky, and an
exclamation of surprise roused Nance.

"What is it?" she jerked.

"They have landed over there. They seem to be searching the rock."

"Then--" and she sat up suddenly and gazed intently across at L'Etat,
and then sprang to her feet, a new creature. "For, see you, Mr
Cachemaille," she cried, "if they had killed him they would not be
searching for him, nenni-gia!"

"That is true, child," said the Vicar hopefully, and then, less
hopefully, "but where shall a man hide on L'Etat?"

"Ah now! I remember. Just as I was leaving him last night, he told me--"

"As you were leaving him--last night?" and the old man gazed at her as
though he doubted his ears or her right senses.

"But yes," she cried impatiently. "I swam across there last night to see
if Bernel was there and to take him some food. But you are not to tell
that to any one. And he told me--"

"You swam across?--to L'Etat?"

"Yes, yes! We have done it many times, and, besides, I had the
bladders--"

The Vicar shook his head helplessly. She forgot to explain so much that
he did not understand. But he grasped at one thread.

"And Bernel?"

"Ah, my poor Bernel! He is drowned," she said, with a heave of the
breast, but with her eyes intent on L'Etat. "I wanted him to take the
bladders, but he would not; and it was the first night after the storm,
you see, and the waves were big still, and he never got to L'Etat, and
he never came back; so, you see--"

"Truly, you are being sorely tried, my child. But your brother was a
better swimmer than most. May we not hope--"

But she shook her head, intent on the doings on the rock, and full, for
the moment, of the hope she could draw fro