There was, therefore, nothing for it. Fortune had laid on my anvil a red-hot iron. If I did not strike it now When she had stumbled twice, without a word I took her right arm and set it about my neck, then I put my left arm about her and held her up.
"Thank you," she said. And then: "You're awfully strong."
"You're not very heavy," said I, and spoke the truth.
With that we went forward in silence as fast as we could. She, I think, was thankful to hold her peace and I could think of nothing but of getting her clear of the park. For al that, I should not have been human if I had not been aware of her beauty and the grace of the slim, straight figure that swayed in the crook of my arm.
Her head was bare, and she won a soft, silk shirt, now smudged with green, and Jodhpur riding trouser very well cut; but thus unadorned and shaken she filled the eye.
I am given to understand that she had her mother's looks, but I find it hard to believe that the Countess Rudolph had all of her daughter's charm. I have said before that her eyes were large and grey, but I despair of disclosing the exquisite light which made them so very rare. This was a very soft brilliance which could leap into a flame, but, once you had seen it, you never could forget it, because for ever after all other eyes seemed dull. Her hair was soft and shining and black as night, and the face which it framed was strong and proud and fearless, but somewhat sad. I think it was the droop of her lips that gave her this wistful air, but you could not have wished it absent, because that might have altered the shape of her faultless mouth. Her skin was very white and her colour was high, and she made you think of some mistress of medieval days of whose beauty troubadours sang, whose favour was sought and fought for by famous men. I have seen such great ladies presented on stage and screen; but, though these had the advantage of raiment, scene and surroundings to set them off, I never saw one that looked the part so well as did Caroline Virgil, no matter where she was or how she was dressed. Times have changed and knights and queens of beauty have long been dust, but the Count and the Countess Rudolph were both of proud descent, and I think that their daughter threw back to one of those lovely ghosts that fanned to a flame the flush of chivalry
TWENTY minutes had passed and I had had to carry her over a stream before I saw through the trees the flash of the Rolls. I never was so thankful, for though she made no complaint, I knew it was all she could do to stay upon her feet, and I had a dreadful fear that to strive with the effects of concussion might do her some serious ill.
Winter saw us coming and had a door open for her to get into the car. This she did without speaking and at once lay back on the cushions and closed her eyes.
"D'you feel very rotten?" I asked
"I'm done," she said. "That's all. I'll be all right as soon as I've had some sleep."
Herrick was not to be seen, but since he was sure to return by the entrance drive and the road, I bade Winter take the wheel and make for the spot at which he had set us down. If he was not in sight whee we got there I meant to go on to Raven and then return, but, as luck would have it, we met him at the mouth of the track.
He was plainly bursting with news, but I was down in the road before he could speak.
"I've got her," I breathed. "She's coming with us to Raven. But don't say a word in the car: she's not too well."
Then we both got Into the Rolls and Winter let in his clutch.
"It's very seldom," said Herrick "that Fortune makes up her mind to do a thing really well. She almost, always leaves you with two or three little knots, and you have to try to untie them as best you can. As a rule, you can't, and so you have to cut them. But here she's excelled herself, for I came upon the scene of the outrage as you went off, and so I can complete the astonishing tale you've just told.
"But before I do that, let's go back.
"Thank you," she said. And then: "You're awfully strong."
"You're not very heavy," said I, and spoke the truth.
With that we went forward in silence as fast as we could. She, I think, was thankful to hold her peace and I could think of nothing but of getting her clear of the park. For al that, I should not have been human if I had not been aware of her beauty and the grace of the slim, straight figure that swayed in the crook of my arm.
Her head was bare, and she won a soft, silk shirt, now smudged with green, and Jodhpur riding trouser very well cut; but thus unadorned and shaken she filled the eye.
I am given to understand that she had her mother's looks, but I find it hard to believe that the Countess Rudolph had all of her daughter's charm. I have said before that her eyes were large and grey, but I despair of disclosing the exquisite light which made them so very rare. This was a very soft brilliance which could leap into a flame, but, once you had seen it, you never could forget it, because for ever after all other eyes seemed dull. Her hair was soft and shining and black as night, and the face which it framed was strong and proud and fearless, but somewhat sad. I think it was the droop of her lips that gave her this wistful air, but you could not have wished it absent, because that might have altered the shape of her faultless mouth. Her skin was very white and her colour was high, and she made you think of some mistress of medieval days of whose beauty troubadours sang, whose favour was sought and fought for by famous men. I have seen such great ladies presented on stage and screen; but, though these had the advantage of raiment, scene and surroundings to set them off, I never saw one that looked the part so well as did Caroline Virgil, no matter where she was or how she was dressed. Times have changed and knights and queens of beauty have long been dust, but the Count and the Countess Rudolph were both of proud descent, and I think that their daughter threw back to one of those lovely ghosts that fanned to a flame the flush of chivalry
TWENTY minutes had passed and I had had to carry her over a stream before I saw through the trees the flash of the Rolls. I never was so thankful, for though she made no complaint, I knew it was all she could do to stay upon her feet, and I had a dreadful fear that to strive with the effects of concussion might do her some serious ill.
Winter saw us coming and had a door open for her to get into the car. This she did without speaking and at once lay back on the cushions and closed her eyes.
"D'you feel very rotten?" I asked
"I'm done," she said. "That's all. I'll be all right as soon as I've had some sleep."
Herrick was not to be seen, but since he was sure to return by the entrance drive and the road, I bade Winter take the wheel and make for the spot at which he had set us down. If he was not in sight whee we got there I meant to go on to Raven and then return, but, as luck would have it, we met him at the mouth of the track.
He was plainly bursting with news, but I was down in the road before he could speak.
"I've got her," I breathed. "She's coming with us to Raven. But don't say a word in the car: she's not too well."
Then we both got Into the Rolls and Winter let in his clutch.
"It's very seldom," said Herrick "that Fortune makes up her mind to do a thing really well. She almost, always leaves you with two or three little knots, and you have to try to untie them as best you can. As a rule, you can't, and so you have to cut them. But here she's excelled herself, for I came upon the scene of the outrage as you went off, and so I can complete the astonishing tale you've just told.
"But before I do that, let's go back.
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