第65章

Theman-trapwasthrown；andbetweenitsjawswaspartofawoman’sclothing——apatternedsilkskirt——grippedwithsuchviolencethattheironteethhadpassedthroughit，skeweringitstissueinascoreofplaces。Heimmediatelyrecognizedtheskirtasthatofoneofhiswife’sgowns——thegownthatshehadwornwhenshemethimontheverylastoccasion。

FitzpiershadoftenstudiedtheeffectoftheseinstrumentswhenexaminingthecollectionatHintockHouse，andtheconceptioninstantlyflashedthroughhimthatGracehadbeencaught，takenoutmangledbysomechancepasser，andcarriedhome，someofherclothesbeingleftbehindinthedifficultyofgettingherfree。

Theshockofthisconviction，strikingintotheverycurrentofhighhope，wassogreatthathecriedoutlikeoneincorporalagony，andinhismiserybowedhimselfdowntotheground。

OfallthedegreesandqualitiesofpunishmentthatFitzpiershadundergonesincehissinsagainstGracefirstbegan，notanyevenapproximatedinintensitytothis。

“Oh，myown——mydarling！Oh，cruelHeaven——itistoomuch，this！”

hecried，writhingandrockinghimselfoverthesorryaccessariesofherhedeplored。

Thevoiceofhisdistresswassufficientlyloudtobeaudibletoanyonewhomighthavebeentheretohearit；andonetherewas。

Rightandleftofthenarrowpassbetweentheoaksweredensebushes；andnowfrombehindtheseafemalefigureglided，whoseappearanceeveninthegloomwas，thoughgracefulinoutline，noticeablystrange。

Shewasinwhiteuptothewaist，andfiguredabove。Shewas，inshort，Grace，hiswife，lackingtheportionofherdresswhichtheginretained。

“Don’tbegrievedaboutme——don’t，dearEdgar！”sheexclaimed，rushingupandbendingoverhim。“Iamnothurtabit！IwascomingontofindyouafterIhadreleasedmyself，butIheardfootsteps；andIhidaway，becauseIwaswithoutsomeofmyclothing，andIdidnotknowwhothepersonmightbe。”

Fitzpiershadsprungtohisfeet，andhisnextactwasnolessunpremeditatedbyhimthanitwasirresistiblebyher，andwouldhavebeensobyanywomannotofAmazonianstrength。Heclaspedhisarmscompletelyround，pressedhertohisbreast，andkissedherpassionately。

“Youarenotdead！——youarenothurt！ThankGod——thankGod！”hesaid，almostsobbinginhisdelightandrelieffromthehorrorofhisapprehension。“Grace，mywife，mylove，howisthis——whathashappened？”

“Iwascomingontoyou。”shesaidasdistinctlyasshecouldinthehalf-smotheredstateofherfaceagainsthis。“Iwastryingtobeaspunctualaspossible，andasIhadstartedaminutelateIranalongthepathveryswiftly——fortunatelyformyself。JustwhenIhadpassedbetweenthesetreesIfeltsomethingclutchatmydressfrombehindwithanoise，andthenextmomentIwaspulledbackwardbyit，andfelltotheground。Iscreamedwithterror，thinkingitwasamanlyingdowntheretomurderme，butthenextmomentIdiscovereditwasiron，andthatmyclotheswerecaughtinatrap。Ipulledthiswayandthat，butthethingwouldnotletgo，dragitasIwould，andIdidnotknowwhattodo。I

didnotwanttoalarmmyfatheroranybody，asIwishednobodytoknowofthesemeetingswithyou；soIcouldthinkofnootherplanthanslippingoffmyskirt，meaningtorunonandtellyouwhatastrangeaccidenthadhappenedtome。ButwhenIhadjustfreedmyselfbyleavingthedressbehind，Iheardsteps，andnotbeingsureitwasyou，Ididnotliketobeseeninsuchapickle，soI

hidaway。”

“Itwasonlyyourspeedthatsavedyou！Oneorbothofyourlegswouldhavebeenbrokenifyouhadcomeatordinarywalkingpace。”

“Oryours，ifyouhadgotherefirst。”saidshe，beginningtorealizethewholeghastlinessofthepossibility。“Oh，Edgar，therehasbeenanEyewatchingoverusto-night，andweshouldbethankfulindeed！”

Hecontinuedtopresshisfacetohers。“Youaremine——mineagainnow。”

Shegentlyownedthatshesupposedshewas。“IheardwhatyousaidwhenyouthoughtIwasinjured。”shewenton，shyly，“andI

knowthatamanwhocouldsufferasyouweresufferingmusthaveatenderregardfor