-all round
the Mont. Did you not hear them say so?"

"Yes," Barbara owned; "I remember quite well now. But let us hurry--it
is a long way off yet. We have plenty of time." She spoke
consolingly, for Jean's face was blanched and she saw he was trembling.

"But, mademoiselle, you do not understand. Did you not hear them
telling us also that the tide advances so rapidly that it catches the
quickest horse? Oh, I wish we had told some one of this journey--that
some one had seen us. They would have warned us. We should have been
safe."

It was then for the first time that the thought of danger entered
Barbara's head, and she took her companion's hand.

"Let us run, then. Quick!" she said. "We are not such a very long way
off."

Jean hesitated only a moment, his eyes, as if fascinated, still on the
water; then he turned his face towards the Mont, and sped over the sand
more fleetly than Barbara would have believed possible to him--so
fleetly, indeed, that he began to leave the girl, who was swift of
foot, behind.

She glanced over her shoulder at the sea, which certainly was drawing
in very rapidly, licking over the sand greedily, then forward at St.
Michel, and fell to a walk. She knew she could not run the whole
distance for it was not easy going on the sand, especially when an eye
had always to be kept un the guiding footprints.

[Illustration: "She glanced over her shoulder at the sea."]

It was some little time before Jean really realised she was not close
behind him; then he stopped running and waited for her.

"Go on," she shouted. "Don't wait for me, I can catch you up later."

"But it is impossible for me to leave you," he called back on regaining
his breath. "But, oh! run if you can, for the water comes very near."

One more fleeting glance behind and Barbara broke into a run again,
though her breath came in gasps.

"They are seeing us from the Mont," panted Jean. "They have come out
to watch the tide rise. Give me your hand. Do not stop! Do not stop!"

Barbara felt that, do as she would, her breath could hold out no
longer, and she slackened her pace to a walk once more. Then a great
shout went up from the people on the ramparts, and they began waving
their hands and handkerchiefs wildly. To them the two figures seemed
to be moving so slowly and the great sea behind so terribly fast.
Barbara could hear its swish, swish, near enough now, and she felt
Jean's hand tremble in her own.