As she felt herself begin to sink again, Edina twisted in the water and wrapped both arms about Billie’s neck with the desperation of a drowning animal!
CHAPTER XVI
FIGHTING FOR LIFE
Locked in Edina Tooker’s unbreakable embrace, Billie Bradley gave herself up for lost.
Edina was stronger than she, and now her strength was the desperate strength of mortal fear.
Billie writhed and twisted, striving to wrench herself free; but in her heart she knew her efforts were vain. Edina’s grip was the grip of madness. She was dragging them both down to death.
Billie wondered why her lungs did not break with the fearful pressure on them. After a long moment of agony she almost wished they would break—to have done with the torment.
Suddenly something swam close to her. There was a sharp jolt and, through glazing eyes, Billie saw Edina’s head snap backward. The hard grip about her neck relaxed, the weight that had been holding Billie to the bottom of the lake slumped away.
Billie felt suddenly as light as air. With all the strength that remained to her, she fought her way to the surface of the water.
Like a benediction, air swept into her tortured lungs. She lay upon her back and let herself float, gasping.