"And now I've done it! I've done it;
I am _free!_"
"Oh! I am so _glad!_ so _very_ thankful!" I began, and then broke down
and burst into a violent fit of crying.
I couldn't stop crying, though I _did_ try hard to control my tears; and
my knees shook so that I could hardly walk. Hilliard almost carried me
along until we met Jim the coachman and Mr. Erveng on the beach. Mr.
Erveng had just got home, and heard that Hilliard and I were out in the
storm. Then between them they got me to the house, where Mrs. Erveng and
Alice and her mother were anxiously waiting for us.
How glad they were to see us! and how they all kissed and hugged me!
Mrs. Erveng took me right into her arms.
Everybody began talking at once. I heard Alice say, "As soon as we
missed you, and Dillon said she had seen you walking toward that part of
the beach, Hilliard declared you were on the rock,--he seemed to guess
it. And he was off for the boat like a flash,--he wouldn't even wait for
Jim; he said every minute was precious--"
I lost the rest; a horrid rushing noise came in my ears, everything got
black before me, and I fainted, for the very first time in my life.
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