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.