"Oh," cried Mrs. Craver, clasping her hands tightly, "I am glad. Of course, I am used to it now, but really, Edwin, my heart is in my mouth every time you go up in that horrid aeroplane."
"Oh, don't call it horrid, Mrs. Craver," expostulated Claudia, hurriedly. "Think of how it saved my life. Nothing but the aeroplane could have rescued me."
"Along with Edwin's presence of mind, of course," said the Rector, thoughtfully. "And it was providential Edwin, that you took that coil of rope along with you, otherwise----" He shrugged his shoulders.
"Otherwise I should have gone down with Lady Wyke," said Claudia, trembling.
"Don't talk of her dear," said Mrs. Craver, trembling also. "I wish to forget Laura Bright entirely. To think of her wickedness in luring you on to that quicksand! It was cruelly clever. She meant to kill you."
Edwin nodded. "I suppose the sight of the quicksands from the top of the path suggested that way of hurting Claudia," he remarked. "Handcuffed as she was, Lady Wyke saw no other way of getting even with us. And it was wonderful to think how she got down that steep path without breaking her neck."
"Didn't you guess what she intended to do, Claudia?" asked the Rector.
"No. I ran after her believing that she intended to throw herself into the sea and escape punishment. But she waited until I nearly reached her, and then ran fairly into the quicksand. I followed unthinkingly, and then----" The girl shivered, for the recollection of her escape was very dreadful.
"Don't let us talk any more about it," said Edwin, soothingly.
They could not, for at that moment a visitor was announced. This was none other than Mr. Sandal, who stalked into the drawing-room, tall, thin, and dried up in his looks. Edwin and Claudia were surprised to see him, and when he was introduced to the Rector and Mrs. Craver they looked at him apprehensively. He saw their dismay, and smiled in his dry way.