ghed Papa Lusignan.

They ran down, and found Falcon impaled at full length on the spikes of
the villa, and Phoebe screaming over him, and trying in vain to lift
him off them. He had struggled a little, in silent terror, but had then
fainted from fear and loss of blood, and lying rather inside the rails,
which were high, he could not be extricated from the outside.

As soon as his miserable condition was discovered, the servants ran down
into the kitchen, and so up to the rails by the area steps. These
rails had caught him; one had gone clean through his arm, the other had
penetrated the fleshy part of the thigh, and a third pierced his ear.

They got him off; but he was insensible, and the place drenched with his
blood.

Phoebe clutched Staines by the arm. "Let me know the worst," said she.
"Is he dead?"

Staines examined him, and said "No."

"Can you save him?"

"I?"

"Yes. Who can, if you cannot? Oh, have mercy on me!" and she went on her
knees to him, and put her forehead on his knees.

He was touched by her simple faith; and the noble traditions of his
profession sided with his gratitude to this injured woman. "My poor
friend," said he, "I will do my best, for YOUR sake."

He took immediate steps for stanching the blood; and the fly carried
Phoebe and her villain to the inn at Gravesend.

Falcon came to on the road; but finding himself alone with Phoebe,
shammed unconsciousness of everything but pain.

Staines, being thoroughly enraged with Rosa, yet remembering his solemn
vow never to abuse her again, saw her father, and told him to tell her
he should think over her conduct quietly, not wishing to be harder upon
her than she deserved.

Rosa, who had been screaming, and crying for joy, ever since she came to
her senses, was not so much afflicted at this message as one might have
expected. He was alive, and all things else were trifles.

Nevertheless, when day after day went by, and not even a line from
Christopher, she began to fear he would cast her off entirely; the more
so as she heard he was now and then at Gravesend to visit Mrs. Falcon at
the inn.

While matters were thus, Uncle Philip burst on her like a bomb. "He is
alive! he is alive! he is alive!" And they had a cuddle over it.

"Oh, Uncle Philip! Have you seen him?"

"Seen him? Yes. He caught me on the hop, just as I came in from Italy. I
took him for a ghost."

"Oh, weren't you frightened?"

"Not a bit. I don't mind ghosts. I'd