CHAPTER XIV
THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS
"You are a dear unreasonable little girl," he said. "Have you breath enough to tell me why you came down the ladder?"
"When I discovered you were gone, I became wild with fright. Don't you see, I imagined you were wounded and had fallen from the ledge. What else could I do but follow, either to help you, or, if that were not possible—"
He found her hand and pressed it to his lips.
"I humbly crave your pardon," he said. "That explanation is more than ample. It was I who behaved unreasonably. Of course I should have warned you. Yet, sweetheart, I ran no risk. The real danger passed a week ago."
"How can that be?"
"I might have been blown to pieces whilst adjusting the heavy stone in front of the caps. I assure you I was glad to leave the place that day with a whole skin. If the stone had wobbled, or slipped, well—it was a case of determined felo-de-se."
"May I ask how many more wild adventures you undertook without my knowledge?"
"One other, of great magnitude. I fell in love with you."