But few minutes had elapsed after this, when I heard Julia scream

in sudden terror. I looked round, but the foliage had thickened

behind me, and I could no longer see the parties. I bounded backward,

with no enviable feelings. My apprehensions for my wife's safety

made me forgetful of my suspicions. I reached the spot in time to

discover the cause of her alarm.

She was in the midst of the stream, standing upon one of the

sandflats, steadying herself with difficulty, while she supported

the whole form of William Edgerton, who lay, seemingly lifeless,

and half buried in one of the sluices of water which ran between

the sandrifts. I had just time to see this, and to feel all the

pangs of my jealousy renewed, when Kingsley rushed into the water

to his rescue. He lifted him out to the banks as if he had been an

infant, and laid him on the shore. I went to the relief of Julia,

who, trembling like a leaf, fainted in my arms the moment she felt

herself in safety.

The whole affair was at that time unaccountable to me. It necessarily

served to increase my pangs. Had I not seen her with my own eyes

tenderly supporting the fainting frame of the man whom I believed

to be my rival--whom I believed she loved? Had I not heard her scream

of terror announcing her interest in his fate--her apprehensions for

his safety? His danger had made her forgetful of her caution--such

was the assurance of my demon--and in the fullness of her

heart her voice found utterance. Besides, how was I to know what

endearments--what fond pressure of palms--had been passing between

them, making them heedless of their course, and consequently,

making them liable to the accident which had occurred. For, it

must be remembered, that the general impression was that Edgerton's

foot had slipped, and, falling into the stream while endeavoring to

assist Julia, he had nearly pulled her in after him. His fainting

afterward we ascribed to the same nervous weakness which had

induced that of Julia. On this head, however, Kingsley was better

informed. He told me, in a subsequent conversation, that he had

narrowly observed the parties--that, until the moment before he

fell, the hands of the two had not met--that then, Edgerton offered

his to assist my wife over the stream, and scarcely had their

fingers touched, when Edgerton sank down, like a stone, seemingly

lifeless, and falling into the water only after he had become

insensible.

All was confusion. Mine, however, was not confusion. It was

commotion--commotion which I yet suppressed--a volcano smothered,

but smothered only for a time, and ready to break forth with

superior fury in consequence of the restraint put upon it. This one

event, with the impressive spectacle of the parties in such close

juxtaposition, seemed almost to render every previous suspicion

conclusive.




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