FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   >>  
d to Marguerite--a voice from her old home, calling her back to life. With joy La Pommeraye had sighted once more the rocky point of land upon the horizon. But a keen pang of disappointment seized him when he looked in vain for the signal which had told him there was yet life on the island. Could they have perished in the storm? Could his approach, when they were on the verge of the grave, have served only to tantalise them, and make the end the harder? Such thoughts beat in his brain, as he vainly watched for any sign of life. At last Etienne touched his arm. "Look, Monsieur, they live! There stand two figures on yonder cliff." As he spoke, all eyes turned towards the projecting spur, and as the keen-visioned sailors caught sight of Marguerite and her uncouth companion, they fell on their knees and crossed themselves in holy awe. La Pommeraye quickly had the sails run down and the anchor dropped; and before Marguerite could leave her station, the gun boomed forth its welcome. Down to the beach she went to meet the approaching boat, and even La Pommeraye was awed when he saw her figure coming towards him. Her clothes had been patched and mended till it was impossible to mend them any longer, and they now hung in tatters about her. Her hair, once so black and glossy, was streaked with white, and her face wore the look of one who has known all that life has to give of joy and of sorrow, and who has walked in the presence of death as with a friend. By her side shambled the young bear, a shaggy, ferocious-looking monster, enough of itself to strike terror to the hearts of the amazed sailors. The men in the boat lost their courage, and their nerveless hands refused to grasp the oars. But the stern, commanding voice of La Pommeraye restored their presence of mind. The boat's keel grated on the rocks, and La Pommeraye leaped ashore and fell on his knees before the pale ghost of the woman he had loved so faithfully, and followed through half the world. "Mademoiselle!" he said, but he could get no further. His heart had risen in his throat, and was choking him. She, too, stood like one stunned, her knees trembling, her brain swimming. She would have fallen, but that she took his extended hand to support herself. The bear had been growling uneasily at her side, and when he saw La Pommeraye's hand touch his mistress, he gave a savage growl, and was about to spring upon the intruder. Marguerite bade him down, and t
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   >>  



Top keywords:
Pommeraye
 

Marguerite

 

sailors

 
presence
 

growling

 

shambled

 

friend

 

uneasily

 

support

 

shaggy


strike

 
monster
 

terror

 
ferocious
 
sorrow
 

intruder

 

streaked

 

glossy

 

spring

 

hearts


walked

 

mistress

 

savage

 

extended

 

trembling

 
Mademoiselle
 

swimming

 

faithfully

 

tatters

 

stunned


throat

 

choking

 
fallen
 

refused

 

nerveless

 

courage

 

leaped

 

ashore

 

grated

 

commanding


restored
 
amazed
 

tantalise

 

harder

 

served

 
approach
 

thoughts

 
touched
 
Monsieur
 

Etienne