If you help us I will testify that you did the best you
could under the circumstances."
"All right, missus. I kin swar dat it ud been death to hab dun any oder
ting."
The carriage was brought, and men lifted into it the unconscious girl and
the almost equally helpless veteran. Then one mounted the box with the
driver and another ran for a physician, who was directed to go to Mrs.
Bodine's residence. The negro carefully moored Houghton's boat, feeling
that there might be something propitiatory to the dreaded ghost in this
act. He then hastened to his humble cabin, and filled the cars of his
family and neighbors with lamentations over the lost boat and lost man,
and also with self-gratulations that he was alive to tell the story.
On the way home, Mara took the stricken veteran's hand and said: "Captain,
you must bear up under this. In no respect have you been to blame."
"Nevertheless," he replied, and there was almost desperation in his tone:
"I feel that it will prove the most terrible misfortune of my life. Ella
may never be herself again, and I have wronged one to whom I can never
make reparation--a noble, generous boy who has taken a revenge like
himself, but which is scorching my very soul."
"You are noble yourself, captain, or you wouldn't feel it so keenly," was
the gentle reply.
Mrs. Bodine, without waiting for explanations, peremptorily ordered that
Ella should be carried to her room.
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