

Lucy Austin. 485 



so perceiving that hergarments would keep her from sinking for a brief 

 interval, I waited until she was borne just opposite to where I stood, 

 when, without much difficulty, I succeeded in conveying her to the 

 shore. 



The shouts of the men pursuing the dog had reached the house 

 and attracted the domestics and Mrs. Austin, into whose care I re- 

 signed the lifeless form of her daughter. When I looked again upon 

 the stream I saw the shattered remains of the cause of all the confu- 

 sion floating past, having been dispatched with stones by his hunters. 

 My eyes in vain sought Herman. I had expected that he would 

 have plunged after Lucy, nor was I sure that he had not, only I did 

 not recollect his having done so, while I remained on the bank ; and 

 if he did while I was in the water, I could not conceive what had be- 

 come of him since. He surely could not have sunk, as there was 

 abundant assistance within his immediate reach. I could not seek 

 him on the opposite side of the stream without re-crossing the bridge 

 (for which purpose I should have had to go through the house), or 

 again swimming. The former I would not do on account of the time 

 it would require, and the latter 1 dreaded owing to the exhaustion 

 attendant on my late exertions. However, my fears for his safety 

 quickly became as vivid as my feelings on the score of Lucy had been 

 B. few minutes before, and excitement banishing every thought of self- 

 preservation, I rushed headlong into the river. Though a first-rate 

 swimmer, I had hardly reached the surface, before I was convinced of 

 the almost impossibility of gaining the other side. My feet had be- 

 come swollen in my boots; my clothes, quite saturated, clung to my 

 limbs, and my muscles were almost powerless as in infancy ; never- 

 theless a thought never crossed my mind of returning. I struck out 

 with all the vigour I could summon, but the distance between me and 

 the opposite bank seemed to become no less. My God ! thought I, 

 surely my sight mocks my judgment ; a hundred strokes should bring 

 me across. I closed my eyes for a desperate effort, and resolved not 

 to open them until I should have accomplished my purpose. Suddenly 

 I became conscious of making way with much increased velocity. 

 This urged me to put forth all my remaining strength, and I ad- 

 vanced with a rapidity that seemed to me almost incalculable. When 

 I had made about fifty strokes, as accurately as I could guess, my 

 breath failed ; my feet appeared to be expanding to an enormous 

 size, accompanied with intense heat in the soles and extreme pain 

 as far as the instep. Still I kept my eyelids firmly compressed, and 

 continued to strike out with desperation. The heat and pain in the 

 feetnow extended to my knees, and I was nolonger capable of using my 

 legs further. At thismomentl opened my eyes, and the utter hopeless- 

 ness of my situation burst upon me in a glance. I was not even in the 

 middle of the stream. I had been swimming with the current, not 

 across it. My brain grew dizzy ; my sight failed ; the noise of a 

 thousand cataracts was in my ears ; death knocked at my heart, and I 

 felt as if mountains were piled on top of me. Still oblivion did not 

 rob me of all conviction of existence. Twas as if I were contending 

 with some horrid night-mare; -feeling that I lived, and thinking I had 

 no claims to vitality. How long this dreadful sensation continued, I 



