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yer；〃 he said finally； 〃I don't know ez it's your fault you don't know this
kentry ez well ez you do Yurup； so I'll drag this yer team over to
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Robinson's on the river； give the horses a bite； and then meander down this
yer ridge； and wait for ye。 Ye'll see me from the Kernel's。〃 And without
waiting for a reply； he swung his horses' heads toward the river； and rolled
away。
The same querulous protest that had come from the windows arose
from the group； but vainly。 Then followed accusations and recrimination。
〃It's YOUR fault； you might have written； and had him meet us at the
settlement。〃 〃You wanted to take him by surprise！〃 〃I didn't。 You
know if I'd written that we were coming； he'd have taken good care to run
away from us。〃 〃Yes； to some more inaccessible place。〃 〃There can be
none worse than this；〃 etc。； etc。 But it was so clearly evident that nothing
was to be done but to go forward； that even in the midst of their wrangling
they straggled on in Indian file toward the distant cabin； sinking ankle…
deep in the yielding sand； punctuating their verbal altercation with sighs；
and only abating it at a scream from the elder lady。
〃Where's Maria？〃
〃Gone on ahead！〃 grunted the younger gentleman； in a bass voice； so
incongruously large for him that it seemed to have been a ventriloquistic
contribution by somebody else。
It was too true。 Maria； after adding her pungency to the general
conversation； had darted on ahead。 But alas！ that swift Camilla； after
scouring the plain some two hundred feet with her demitrain； came to grief
on an unbending tussock and sat down； panting but savage。 As they
plodded wearily toward her； she bit her red lips； smacked them on her
cruel little white teeth like a festive and sprightly ghoul； and lisped：
〃You DO look so like guys！ For all the world like those English
shopkeepers we met on the Righi； doing the three…guinea excursion in
their Sunday clothes！〃
Certainly the spectacle of these exotically plumed bipeds； whose fine
feathers were already bedrabbled by sand and growing limp in the sea
breeze； was somewhat dissonant with the rudeness of sea and sky and
shore。 A few gulls screamed at them； a loon； startled from the lagoon；
arose shrieking and protesting； with painfully extended legs； in obvious
burlesque of the younger gentleman。 The elder lady felt the justice of her
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gentle daughter's criticism； and retaliated with simple directness：
〃Your skirt is ruined； your hair is coming down； your hat is half off
your head； and your shoesin Heaven's name； Maria！ what HAVE you
done with your shoes？〃
Maria had exhibited a slim stockinged foot from under her skirt。 It was
scarcely three fingers broad； with an arch as patrician as her nose。
〃Somewhere between here and the carriage；〃 she answered； 〃Dick can run
back and find it； while he is looking for your brooch； mamma。 Dick's so
obliging。〃
The robust voice of Dick thundered； but the wasted figure of Dick
feebly ploughed its way back； and returned with the missing buskin。
〃I may as well carry them in my hand like the market girls at Saumur；
for we have got to wade soon；〃 said Miss Maria； sinking her own terrors in
the delightful contemplation of the horror in her parent's face； as she
pointed to a shining film of water slowly deepening in a narrow swale in
the sands between them and the cabin。
〃It's the tide；〃 said the elder gentleman。 〃If we intend to go on we
must hasten； permit me； my dear madam；〃 and before she could reply he
had lifted the astounded matron in his arms； and made gallantly for the
ford。 The gentle Maria cast an ominous eye on her brother； who； with
manifest reluctance； performed for her the same office。 But that acute
young lady kept her eyes upon the preceding figure of the elder gentleman；
and seeing him suddenly and mysteriously disappear to his armpits；
unhesitatingly threw herself from her brother's protecting arms；an action
which instantly precipitated him into the water；and paddled hastily to the
opposite bank； where she eventually assisted in pulling the elderly
gentleman out of the hollow into which he had fallen； and in rescuing her
mother； who floated helplessly on the surface； upheld by her skirts； like a
gigantic and variegated water…lily。 Dick followed with a single gaiter。 In
another minute they were safe on the opposite bank。
The elder lady gave way to tears； Maria laughed hysterically； Dick
mingled a bass oath with the now audible surf； the elder gentleman； whose
florid face the salt water had bleached； and whose dignity seemed to have
been washed away； accounted for both by saying he thought it was a
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quicksand。
〃It might have been；〃 said a quiet voice behind them； 〃you should have
followed the sand dunes half a mile further to the estuary。〃
They turned instantly at the voice。 It was that of the Man on the
Beach。 They all rose to their feet and uttered together； save one； the
single exclamation； 〃James！〃 The elder gentleman said 〃Mr。 North；〃 and；
with a slight resumption of his former dignity； buttoned his coat over his
damp shirt front。
There was a silence； in which the Man on the Beach looked gravely
down upon them。 If they had intended to impress him by any suggestion
of a gay； brilliant； and sensuous world beyond in their own persons； they
had failed； and they knew it。 Keenly alive as they had always been to
external prepossession； they felt that they looked forlorn and ludicrous；
and that the situation lay in his hands。 The elderly lady again burst into
tears of genuine distress； Maria colored over her cheek…bones； and Dick
stared at the ground in su