Everybody looked surprised at this query, for no one had had any idea that that young lady had been in any danger until now.
“Yes; Miss Richards is safe,” Mr. Rosevelt answered; but a frown contracted his brow as he began to understand that Star had sacrificed her own safety and endangered her own life to save that of an ungrateful girl.
No one had been able to gather from Josephine’s excited and incoherent account anything save that a mad dog had attacked Miss Gladstone in the woods. She said not a word of how the noble girl had come to her rescue, warned her of her danger, and then put into execution a hazardous plan to secure her safety.
There was not an atom of gratitude in her heart toward Star for having done this heroic deed—no softening, no sense of sorrow or repentance for her own unkindness in the past, or for the insult which she had only that day offered her; there was only a sense of triumph that she herself was safe, no matter how or at whose risk.
When they came, bringing Star back—for she was still too weak to walk—to the spot where they had all gathered so gay and thoughtless that morning, there was a look of sadness and sympathy in every countenance save those of Mrs. Richards and her daughter, who stole away by themselves, jealous of the interest and concern manifested by the whole company for the object of their hatred.
When Star found that Josephine had kept the facts of the encounter with the mad dog to herself, simply stating that Miss Gladstone had been attacked by it, she also appeared very reluctant to converse about it, and as the subject seemed to excite her, no one felt disposed to press her with questions.
The gentleman who owned the dog sent to his home for his carriage to have her conveyed to the steamer, although she had smilingly affirmed that she should be “able to walk with the help of Uncle Jacob’s arm.”
Upon reaching the boat they improvised a couch for her on deck, as she objected going into the saloon, and by resting quietly during the two hours’ sail, she seemed almost like herself, save her unusual pallor, when the vessel touched the pier at Newport.
A carriage was here procured, and she was driven, with Mr. Rosevelt, Miss Meredith, and her brother, to her hotel.
Grace insisted upon remaining through the night with her.