"Ainsi long!" and as Peggy carefully slowly descended the ladder, Grace turned and began quickly and steadily to climb the rope again.
"Grace! Grace!" cried Margaret. "For God's sake, what are you about? Come down! There is no time to lose; come down!"
"And behold, all is vanity!" said Grace; and she disappeared inside the burning house.
But Margaret could bear no more. She helped to take the senseless girl from Peggy's arms and lay her on the grass; then the world seemed to slip from her, and she dropped quietly with her head on Jenny's shoulder.
CHAPTER XV.
JEWELS: AND AN AWAKENING
"Are you better?" said Gerald. "Are you truly better, Miss Margaret? I am going to drown myself anyhow in the first bucket I find, and if you don't feel better I shall make it a dipper, and that would be so inconvenient, don't you know?"
Margaret looked at him, only half hearing what he said.