For a few seconds they stood still in their mutual surprise, looking at each other, and the astonishment and admiration written in the strangers eyes were so evident, and yet so obviously involuntary, that Joan blushed more deeply than before.
Captain Graves felt the situation to be awkward. His first impulse was to take off his hat and go, his next and stronger one to stay and explain.
I really beg your pardon, he said, with a shyness which was almost comic; I saw a lady standing on the tower as I was riding by, and feared that she might be in difficulties.
Joan turned her head away, being terribly conscious of the blush which would not fade. This strangers appearance pleased her greatly; moreover, she was flattered by his notice, and by the designation of lady. Hitherto her safety had not been a matter of much moment to any one, except, perhaps, to Samuel Rock.
It is very kind of you, she answered, with hesitation; but I was in no danger I got down quite easily.
Again Captain Graves paused. He was puzzled. The girls voice was as sweet as her person low and rich in tone but she spoke with a slight Eastern-counties accent. Who and what was she?
Then I must apologise for troubling you, Miss Miss ?
I am only Joan Haste of Bradmouth, sir, she interrupted confusedly, as though she guessed his thoughts.
Indeed! and I am Captain Graves of Rosham up there, you know. Bradmouth is I mean, is the view good from that tower?
I think so; but I did not go up to look at it. I went to try to get those young jackdaws. I wanted them for a little boy in Bradmouth, the clergymans son.
Ah! he said, his face lighting up, for he saw an opportunity of prolonging the acquaintance, which interested him not a little; then perhaps I may be of service after all. I think that I can help you there. And he stepped towards the tower.
I dont believe that it is quite safe, sir, said Joan, in some alarm; please do not take the trouble, and she stretched out her hand as though to detain him.
Oh, it is no trouble at all, I assure you: I like climbing. You see, I am well accustomed to it. Once I climbed the second Pyramid, the one with the casing on it, though I wont try that again, he replied, with a pleasant laugh. And before she could interfere further he was mounting the broken stair.
At the top of it Henry halted, surveying the crumbling slope of wall doubtfully. Then he took his coat off, threw it down into the churchyard, and rolled his shirt sleeves up above his elbows, revealing a pair of very powerful and fair-skinned arms.
Please dont please! implored Joan from below.
I am not going to give in now, he answered; and, grasping a firm and projecting stone with his right hand, he set his foot upon a second fragment and began the ascent of the broken wall. Soon he reached the head of the slope in safety, but only to be encountered by another difficulty. The window slit containing the jackdaws nest was round the corner, a little above him on the surface of the wall, and it proved impossible to reach it from where he stood. Very cautiously he bent to one side and looked round the angle of the masonry. Close to him a strong stem of ivy grew up the tower, dividing into two branches some five feet below the nest. He knew that it would be dangerous to trust his weight to it, and still more dangerous to attempt the turning of the corner; but at this moment he was more set upon getting the young birds which this village beauty desired, than on his own safety or any other earthly thing. Henry Graves was a man who disliked being beaten.
Very swiftly he shifted his hold, and, stretching out his left hand, he felt about until it gripped the ivy stem. Now he must go on. Exactly how it happened would be difficult to describe on paper, but in two more seconds his foot was in the fork of ivy and his face was opposite to the window slit containing the nest.
I can see the young ones, he said. I will throw them out, and you must catch them in your hat, for I cant carry them.
Oh! pray take care, gasped Joan.
He laughed by way of answer; and next second, with loud squawks and an impotent flapping of untried wings, a callow jackdaw was launched upon its first flight, to be deftly caught in Joans broad hat before it touched the earth. A second followed, then another, and another. The last bird was the strongest of the four, and flew some yards in its descent. Joan ran to catch it a process that took a little time, for it lay upon its back behind a broken tombstone, and pecked at her hand in a fashion necessitating its envelopment in her handkerchief. Just as she secured it she heard Captain Graves say: Thats the lot. Now I am coming down.
Next instant there was a sound as of something being torn. Joan looked up, to see him hanging by one arm against the sheer face of the tower. In attempting to repass the corner Henrys foot had slipped, throwing all his weight on to the stem of ivy which he held; but it was not equal to the strain, and a slab of it had come away from the wall. To this ivy he clung desperately, striving to find foothold with his heels, his face towards her, for he had swung round. Uttering a low cry of fear, Joan sped back to the tower like a swallow. She knew that he must fall; but that was not the worst of it, for almost immediately beneath where he hung stood a raised tomb shaped like a stone coffin, having its top set thickly with rusted iron spikes, three inches or more in length, especially designed to prevent the idle youth of all generations from seating themselves upon this home of the dead.
If he struck upon these!
Joan rushed round the spiked tomb, and halted almost, but not quite, beneath Henrys hanging shape. His eyes fell upon her agonised and upturned face.
Stand clear! I am coming, he said in a low voice.
Watching, she saw the muscles of his arm work convulsively. Then the rough stem of ivy began to slip through his clenched fingers. Another second, and he dropped like a stone from a height of twenty feet or more. Instinctively Joan stretched out her arms as though to catch him; but he struck the ground legs first just in front of her, and, with a sharp exclamation, pitched forward against her.
The shock was tremendous. Joan saw it coming, and prepared to meet it as well as she might by bending her body forward, since, at all hazards, he must be prevented from falling face foremost on the spiked tomb, there to be impaled. His brow cut her lip almost through, his shoulder struck her bosom, knocking the breath out of her, then her strong arms closed around him like a vice, and down they went together.
All this while her mind remained clear. She knew that she must not go down backwards, or the fate from which she strove to protect him would overtake her the iron spikes would pierce her back and brain. By a desperate effort she altered the direction of their fall, trusting to come to earth alongside the tomb. But she could not quite clear it, as a sudden pang in the right shoulder told her. For a moment they lay on the edge of the tomb, then rolled free. Captain Graves fell undermost, his head striking with some violence on a stone, and he lay still, as did Joan for nearly a minute, since her breath was gone.
Presently the pain of breathlessness passed a little, and she began to recover. Glancing at her arm, she saw that a stream of blood trickled along her sleeve, and blood from her cut lips was falling on the bosom of her dress and upon the forehead of Henry Graves beneath her, staining his white face.
Oh, he is dead! mourned Joan aloud; and it is my fault.
At this moment Henry opened his eyes. Apparently he had overheard her, for he answered: Dont distress yourself: I am all right.