Damn! damn! bress de Lord! No, damn! damn! dat lake. Haven't I always
told Miss Hetty not to be goin' there. Oh, damn! damn! no, no, bress de
Lord!" and the old man, clasping both hands above his head, rushed
to the barn to put the horses into the big farm-wagon. With anguished
hearts, and hopelessly, Jim and Sally piled blankets and pillows into
the wagon, and took all the restoratives they could think of. They
knew in their hearts all would be of no use. As they drove through the
village they gave the alarm; and, in an incredibly short time, the whole
shore of the lake was twinkling with lights borne high in the hands
of men who were searching. Two boats were rowing back and forth on the
lake, with bright lights at stern and prow; and loud shouts filled
the air. No answer; no clew: at last, from the island, came a pistol
shot,--the signal agreed on. Every man stood still and listened. Slowly
the boats came back to shore, drawing behind them Hetty's boat; bringing
one of the oars, and also Hetty's shawl, which they had found, just
where Raby had told them they would, in the wild-grape thicket.

"Found it bottom-side up," was all that the men said, as they shoved the
boat high up on the sand. Then they all looked in each other's faces,
and said no more. There was nothing more to be done: it was now ten
o'clock. Slowly the sad procession wound back to town through the
rayless hemlock woods. Midway in them, they met a rider, riding at the
maddest gallop. It was the doctor! No one had known where to send for
him; and there was no time to be lost. Coming home, and wondering, as he
entered, at the open doors and the unlighted windows, he had found Norah
sitting on the floor by the weeping Raby, and trying to comfort him.
Barely comprehending, in his sudden distress what they told him, the
doctor had sprung upon his horse and galloped towards the lake. As he
saw the group of people moving towards him, looking shadowy and dim
in the darkness, his heart stood still. Were they bearing home Hetty's
body? Would he see it presently, lying lifeless and cold in their
arms? He dashed among them, reining his horse back on his haunches, and
looking with a silent anguish into face after face. Nobody spoke. That
first instant seemed a century long. Nobody could speak. At a glance the
doctor saw that they were not bearing the sad burden he had feared.

"Not found her?" he gasped.

"No, doctor," replied one nearest him, laying his hand on