III.
“Pierre! Pierre!—Quick! Quick!—They are dragging me back!—oh, quick, dear Pierre!”
“What is that?” swiftly cried Isabel, rising to her feet, and amazedly glancing toward the door leading into the corridor.
But Pierre darted from the room, prohibiting any one from following him.
Half-way down the stairs, a slight, airy, almost unearthly figure was clinging to the balluster; and two young men, one in naval uniform, were vainly seeking to remove the two thin white hands without hurting them. They were Glen Stanly, and Frederic, the elder brother of Lucy.
In a moment, Pierre’s hands were among the rest.
“Villain!—Damn thee!” cried Frederic; and letting go the hand of his sister, he struck fiercely at Pierre.
But the blow was intercepted by Pierre.
“Thou hast bewitched, thou damned juggler, the sweetest angel! Defend thyself!”