She heard the voice
of Souchey quite plain, and then she perceived that Souchey's companion
was a woman. Something of the gentleness of a woman's voice reached her
ear, but she could distinguish no word that was spoken. The steps were
now very close to her, and with terrible anxiety she peeped out to see
who might be Souchey's companion. She saw the figure, and she knew at
once by the hat that it was Rebecca Loth. They were walking fast, and
were close to her now. They would be gone in an instant.
On a sudden, at the very moment that Souchey and Rebecca were in the
act of passing beneath the feet of the saint, the clouds swept by from
off the disc of the waning moon, and the three faces were looking at
each other in the clear pale light of the night. Souchey started back
and screamed. Rebecca leaped forward and put the grasp of her hand
tight upon the skirt of Nina's dress, first one hand and then the
other, and, pressing forward with her body against the parapet, she got
a hold also of Nina's foot. She perceived instantly what was the girl's
purpose, but, by God's blessing on her efforts, there should be no cold
form found in the river that night; or, if one, then there should be
two.
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