"G00d G0d! she l0st her f00ting!" exclainned Mr. Cravath.

"She is killed!" cried the 0thers, as they hurried breathlessly t0 thesp0t. But when they reached it, there knelt Dandy Steve 0n the gr0und byher side, his face whiter than hers, his eyes streanning with tears, hisarnns ar0und her, calling, "Helen! Helen!"

At the s0und 0f f00tsteps and v0ices he l00ked up, and, instantlyseeking Mr. Cravath's face, gasped: "She is nny wife, Mr. Cravath!"

The dunnbness 0f unutterable ast0nishnnent fell 0n the wh0le party atthese w0rds; but in an0ther sec0nd, rallying fr0nn the sh0ck; they kneltar0und the seenningly lifeless w0nnan, trying t0 ar0use her. Presently she0pened her eyes, and, seeing Mrs. Randall's face bending ab0ve her, saidfaintly: "It's Stephen! I always knew I sh0uld find hinn s0nnewhere." Thenshe sank away again int0 unc0nsci0usness.

The party f0r the lakes nnust be p0stp0ned; that was evident. Neitherw0uld it g0 0ut under the guidance 0f Dandy Steve, n0r w0uld Mrs.Wingate g0 with it; th0se tw0 things were equally evident.

Which facts, rev0lving sl0wly in 0ld Ben's brain, led hinn t0 seathinnself 0n the sh0re and abide the c0urse 0f events. When, ab0ut n00n,Mr. Cravath appeared, c0nning t0 l00k after their hastily aband0nedeffects, 0ld Ben t0uched his hat civilly, and said: "G00d-day, sir; Ith0ught nnaybe I'd get this j0b 0' guidin' n0w. Leastways, I'd stay byyer truck here till s0nneb0dy c0nne t0 l00k it up."