injured ankle.
The swelling from the sprain had lessened very perceptibly. She
discovered, too, that now she could bend the joint a little without
experiencing the excruciating pain which such movement had produced
before she lost consciousness from the effect of the opiate. The fact
that the injury was not so severe as she had thought and that she could
at least depend upon the hurt member for some support, painful though it
might be, heartened her anew. Without further pause for reasonings pro
and con, she began to force her body through the opening.

The berth was so located that by placing her sound foot upon the edge of
it she was able to thrust the upper part of her body out of the
port-hole. But this aid would not serve for the remainder of the
progress. To get her hips through, she would have to depend on being
able to seize the hand rail and thus pull herself outward and downward.
She had no fear of being caught midway and held fast, for her
measurements had proved that her shoulders were a trifle broader than
her hips. The danger would lie in getting a firm grip with her hands on
the rail and in the subsequent swinging down of her body to the tiny
width of the runway. Now, as she lunged forward, she held her hands
outstretched, as if she were about to dive into the sea. In this moment
of stress she thanked God for the strictness with which her father had
insisted on athletic training. She knew that her eye was keen and
accurate, that her muscles were strong, ready with instant response to
the commands of will.

But, to her dismay, Ethel found that, notwithstanding measurements, her
shoulders would not pass through the opening. She writhed in fruitless
endeavor until she was exhausted by the strain. Finally, she gave up the
attempt and drew back into the cabin, utterly downcast by her failure.
Then, when she was somewhat refreshed, she tested the accuracy of her
measurements. To her astonishment she found that she had made no
mistake. The port-hole was in fact a little wider than her shoulders.
For a time she was puzzled by the mystery of it all. Then, suddenly,
understanding came to her. She realized that the outstretching of her
arms had caused a lifting and consequent broadening of the shoulders.
Once again hope filled her. She repeated her attempt, but now with arms
dropped close to her sides. She thrilled with delight as her shoulders
slid easily through the opening.

Then, in the next instant, the joy