"THINK OF RACHEL."
Gwen came to stay at the Rectory. She was much impressed with two
things. First she was terribly upset at the look of Rachel. She had
had no idea that she had grown so thin and weak. It gave her quite a
shock, and she felt disinclined to admire or appreciate anything of her
surroundings.
But she was equally struck with the alteration in Luke. She could find
nothing with which to find fault in his behaviour to Rachel. He was as
thoughtful for her as before he had been negligent.
"What have you done to Luke to change him so?" she asked her sister one
evening, as they were sitting in the garden after supper.
"I have done nothing, but you were blind."
"Then if you are not the cause of his alteration I must be," said Gwen.
"I believe it was the talk I had with him when I told him the truth
about himself. But I must confess I never expected it to have such an
effect."
Rachel laughed.
"You had better not remind me of your delinquencies," she said. "I
don't think I ever felt more angry with anyone in my life than I did
with you that day. However I have forgiven you so we will say no more
about it."
"One thing I can't understand," said Gwen. "What could have induced you
to have that tiresome old lady to live with you? It isn't as if she
were fond of you for I'm sure she rather dislikes you; that is to say
if her manner to you means anything. Why did you let her come?"
"I don't think she dislikes me. She has a very kind heart, but she has
been ill and finds it a little difficult to be always nice. You must
not blame her."
"But I do blame her. Why did you have her?"
"I knew it would make Luke happier. You see she was all alone in rooms
in Trowsby."
"I can't see why Luke should be made happy at your expense."
"But you must remember that before I arrived on the scene she had Luke
to herself. She is devoted to him, and must have missed him dreadfully
when we left Trowsby."
"Well it seems to me that my next move will have to be to tackle her,
as my words take such effect. But look there's Luke. Why is he tearing
down the drive on his bicycle at such a rate?"
"There's a fire in the village," he shouted, and was gone before there
was time to ask questions.
Both girls rose.
"Yes, I smell the smoke," said Gwen. "It comes from the bottom of the
hill. I shall run down and see it."
Rachel stood looking in the direction of the fire and had just made up
her mind to follow Gwen slowly, when Mrs. Greville appeared.
"I saw Luke rushing off on his bicycle," she said. "What is the matter?"
"It's a fire in the village and I'm afraid it must be near those tumble
down cottages in which Mrs. Simpson and Mrs. Grot live. If the fire
reaches them they will burn like tinder."
"Well then I shall go and see if I can't help," said Mrs. Greville. "If
anyone is hurt I may be of use. I shall put a few things in my bag in
readiness. I've some old linen and some carron oil," and she hurried
into the house followed by Rachel, who made her way into the nursery
and stood for a few minutes looking down at her sleeping boy.
It was a hot evening and he had kicked off the coverlet in his sleep.
Rachel kissed the tiny feet gently, holding them in her hand tenderly.
Then she covered him up again.
"You'll take care of him I know," she said to Polly as she moved away.
"I'm going down to see if there is anything to be done in the village.
I'm afraid several cottages must be in danger."
Then as she left the room she looked back once more at her sleeping
boy, saying, "I'm so glad, Polly, that I can trust you implicitly. I
know you would never leave the house under any circumstances, whatever
Emma may do."
Polly looked at her with the brightest of smiles. She knew there was no
need for words. Pat was her one thought.
Arrived at the bottom of the hill Rachel found herself in the midst of
an excited crowd, and was dismayed to see that the flames had not only
reached Mrs. Simpson's cottage but were approaching the one next to it,
belonging to Mrs. Grot.
"The Rector has sent a boy off on his bicycle for the fire engines,"
explained a woman to Rachel in answer to her questions. "But I doubt if
they'll come in time."
"Is Mrs. Grot here?"
"No Ma'am, she's half a mile away at the 'Three Swans' and has the key
with her. Her baby is still in the cottage."
Rachel was horror struck.
"But somebody must save the baby," she cried. "There's time yet.
Where's the Rector?"
Before the woman could answer a cry rang through the crowd, and Mrs.
Grot rushed in among them shrieking, "My baby! my baby!"
"You just follow me," said the woman to Rachel, "and I'll find the
Rector for you. It's no good that woman 'holloring' like that. It won't
mend matters; the Rector is the one to help." As she pushed her way
through the crowd Rachel caught sight of Luke placing a ladder against
the cottage wall.
"There he is Ma'am," said the woman. "He knows what to do, for the poor
mite is in that front upstairs room with the small window."
"Here's Mrs. Grot with the key," shouted a man near by. "Hold on, sir,
for a moment, and I'll unlock the door, we may be able to get in this
way."
But alas it was too late. A thick cloud of smoke issued from the door
and drove the man back. A groan came from the crowd.
Rachel caught sight of Gwen rushing towards Luke and catching hold of
his arm.
"You mustn't go Luke," she cried. "You'll be killed. Think of Rachel."
At that moment Rachel saw her husband was on the first step of the
ladder. He was going to save the baby! Her heart gave an exultant leap,
and then almost stood still.
At Gwen's words Luke took a hurried glance at the crowd beneath and his
eyes rested for one moment on his wife's face. Though it was deadly
white there was something in its expression that nerved his steps. She
was helping him, not for the first time by any means, to do what was
his duty, and this time he knew it was at the risk of his life.
He looked down at Gwen as he mounted, with a smile, saying:
"I am thinking of Rachel. That is why I am going to save the baby."
In another moment he was forcing the window out, which gave way easily,
and disappeared within the room.
The silent crowd stood spellbound, but Gwen in a panic ran to the side
of her sister. Her voice alone was heard, crying:
"Why didn't you call him back, why did you let him go?"
Call him back! Rachel would not have called him back for the world. It
was just the brave thing she expected him to do, and knew he would do.
She stood calm and still while the crowd surged around her murmuring.
Suddenly they saw Luke at the window. He dropped a small bundle into
the arms of someone below. A cheer went up but was suddenly checked by
the sound of timber falling and a lurid flame soaring up into the air.
There was only one explanation to give—the floor of the room in which
the baby had been sleeping had given way, and the terror-stricken crowd
knew that their Rector must be lying buried among the ruins.
At that moment the engines arrived, but Rachel stood dazed and
unconscious of what was going on around her. She did not move or speak
even when the women gathered about her, neither did she hear their
words of sympathy and commiseration.
"You'd better go, my dear," said an old woman with tears streaming down
her face, "you'd better go. It don't do any good to him or to you to
stay. If your husband, God bless him, has gone to glory why he's with
the Lord, and if not they'll bring him safe home to you."
"To think," cried a hard-faced woman, "that he's done it to save a
drunkard's baby, that's already half starved to death. He'd have done
better to leave it alone."
The old woman turned sharply at the words.
"That baby, I take it, is as dear as the rest of us to the Lord. But
come, my dear," she said again, addressing Rachel, "go home, I beg of
you. You'd be best at home. And the Lord be with you."
But Rachel did not stir till a touch on her arm suddenly aroused her.
She looked round and met the eyes full of anguish of Luke's mother. No
words were spoken, but the silent cry found its way at once to Rachel's
heart and awoke her from her dazed condition.
"Mother!" she said softly, then taking her arm in hers she slowly moved
away. No words were spoken, as they mounted the hill. The only sounds
were Gwen's sobs as she followed behind them.
On arriving at the house they made their way automatically into Luke's
study and sat down silently together on the sofa—the two women who
loved Luke—clinging to one another, and listening for that sound of all
sounds, which strikes a chill into the bravest heart.
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