Ralph Harrington reached out his hand, taking hers in its grasp.
"Why are you so pale? Why tremble so?" he said, moving towards the house.
"I do not know," answered Lina, "but it seems as if the breath of that rattlesnake were around us yet."
"You are sad—your nerves have been dreadfully shaken—but to-morrow, Lina, all will be bright again."
Lina smiled faintly.
"Oh, yes, all must be bright to-morrow."
As they passed the iron gate that separated the lawn from the shore, Ben, who had seated himself in the boat, arose suddenly, and pushed his little craft into the river again. His weather-beaten face was turned anxiously down the stream. He seized the oars, and urging his boat into the current, pulled stoutly, as if some important object had suddenly seized upon him.
"Where can she be a going to? What on earth is she after? Has the old rascal broke out at last? Has she give way? But I'll overhaul her! Pull away, Ben Benson, pull away, you old rascal! What bisness had you with them ere youngsters, and she in trouble! Pull away, or I'll break every bone in your body, Ben Benson!"
Thus muttering and reviling himself, Ben was soon out of sight, burying himself, as it seemed, in the dull purple of the night as it crept over the Hudson.