ung, holding the lower end of the rope.

"All ready, Goat!" she called.

"Ay, ay!" said the quiet voice within. "Coming, Innocent!"

The women had followed Margaret and Peggy, and now a cry broke from
them.

"She's got her!"

"'Tis Jenny! She was in there all the time!"

"She's dead!"

"She's not; she's living, I see her move. Oh, Mother of Mercy, they'll
both be killed before their own eyes!"

What was Grace doing? The form she held in her arms was that of a slight
girl of fifteen or so. She was knotting something round her, under arms
and over breast; something half sling, half rope; towels, perhaps, tied
strongly together. Now she brought the ends over her own shoulders,
bending forward.

"Now, Peggy!"

"Now!"

With the unconscious child bound to her back, Grace leaned out and
grasped the rope; another moment and she was swinging on it, clinging
with hands and feet, the old school way.

Margaret covered her face with her hand and prayed. Peggy, steadying the
rope with one hand, held out the other, and waited.

Down, hand over hand! Slender hands, to bear the double burden. Delicate
shoulders, to carry the dead weight that hangs on them. Are they elastic
steel, those fingers that grip the rope, never slipping, never relaxing
their hold?

Down, hand over hand! the hands are bleeding now; no matter! the white
dress is black with smoke, and blood drips on it here and there; what of
that? it is nearly over.

"Now?" Peggy asked, quietly.

"Now!"

Steadying herself, Peggy left the rope, and received the burden in her
arms. Grace, holding the rope with one hand, with the other loosed the
knot, and laid the limp arms over Peggy's neck.

"All right?" she said.

"All right!"

"_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 bucke