"What?"
Elsie turned on her a horrified face.
"Inza, when I saw you knocked down by that horse, the awful wish came
into my heart that you might be killed. And even when I saw the tiger
about to leap on you, I couldn't drive that thought away. I have been
hating you in a way that I never thought I could hate anybody! You see,
I began to fear that you were trying to come between me and Frank; and
if you had been--killed--there--would--have--been--an--end--of--that!"
"But you rushed between me and the tiger. And you fought the beast with
that goad. You, a girl, standing between me and such a terror as that!
Frank has told me all about it--about how brave you were! It was
beautiful!"
"When I felt how wicked my thoughts was, there came an awful revulsion
of feeling; and then I rushed into the street, not caring if I was
killed, if I could only save you. I felt that the sacrifice of my life,
even, if it were necessary, was demanded to pay for those dreadful
thoughts. I knew the danger, Inza, but that hideous thought made me
brave."
"You are naturally brave, Elsie! I feel that I owe my life to you."
"And I wished you dead!" said Elsie self-reproachfully. "I can never
forget it. Wished you dead when you were knocked down and when the tiger
threatened you.
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