The
drier railings caught, the deck floors, the sides of the cabin. In
half an hour the _Helen Bell_, early border transport, was a mass
of flames. In a quarter-hour more, her stacks had fallen overboard
and the hulk lay consumed half to the water-line.
[Illustration: Soon the fire settled to its work.]
CHAPTER XVII
THE LADY AT TALLWOODS
The arrival of the four visitors at Tallwoods, and their departure
so soon thereafter, were events of course not unknown to Josephine,
but only conjecture could exist in her mind as to the real nature
of the errand in either case. Jeanne, her maid, speculated as to
this openly.
"That docteur also, he is now gone," said she, ruefully. "But yet,
behold the better opportunity for us to escape, Madame. Ah, were
it not for the injury of madame, I should say, let us at once set
out--we could follow the road."
"But they will return!" exclaimed her mistress. "We can not tell
how long they will be gone. And, Jeanne, I suffer.
Pages:
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242