sh you were my m--m--mother!" replied that villain
Glenville, as he adjusted her cloak, and led her out to her chair. It
was pitchy dark outside (only a couple of candle lanterns to see by), and
the usual confusion upon the breaking up of a large party was taking
place. Miss Candlish stepped into her chair, and the door was closed.
Glenville and Barton took up the chair, and, going as smoothly as they
could (which was not as smoothly as the usual carriers), they turned
aside from the main stream of the visitors, and made at once for the
harbour. Here they had intended to deposit the chair, and leave the rest
to fate; but, as luck would have it, in setting down the chair in the
darkness, one side of it projected over a sort of landing-place. It
toppled over and fell sideways with a splash into the muddy water. Scream
upon scream followed rapidly. "Murder! thieves! help!" Shriek after
shriek, and at last a female form, wildly flinging her arms into the air,
could be seen emerging from the half buried chair. Glenville and Barton
had run away before the chair fell, but, hearing the fall, looked back,
and were at first spellbound with terror at what had happened. When,
however, they saw the Drag emerge, they fairly fled for their lives by a
circuitous way little frequented by night, and reached home just before
the rest of us arrived. There was some alarm when Miss Candlish did not
arrive for about twenty minutes or half an hour. Glenville and Barton
told Thornton and myself what had happened, and wanted to know what they
should do. Of course, we advised that they should say and do nothing,
but wait upon the will of the Fates. They were in a great fright, and
when Miss Candlish arrived in charge of two policemen their terror became
wild. And yet they both said afterwards that they could hardly help
laughing out loud. The pink muslin was draggled and besmeared with
harbour mud, and torn half out of the gathers. Its owner was in a state
of rage, terror, and hysterics. The commotion was fearful. It was very
strange she did not seem to have the faintest suspicion of any of our
party. She was sure the men were drunk because they carried her so
unsteadily. She was positive they meant to rob her or something worse.
She saw them as they were running away. They were the very same men who
always carried her. She never could bear those men. They looked more
like demons than men. She would leave the place next day.