Evelyn seldom went down to the shore in the winter, and she was not
familiar with its dangers. The sea had seemed far enough out for safety
when she had rounded the point nearest to the town, barely half an hour
before. It was with almost incredulous horror that she saw that the
waves were already breaking at the foot of the cliffs she had skirted.
She turned with a sudden, awful fear at her heart to look towards the
farther point. It was a full mile away, and she saw instantly that she
could not possibly reach it in time. The waves were already foaming
white among the scattered boulders at its base.
Again a great wave broke behind her with a sound like the booming of a
gun; and she realised that she would be surrounded in less than thirty
seconds if she remained where she was. She slipped and slid down the
side of the rock with the speed of terror, and plunged recklessly into a
foot of water at the bottom. Before another wave broke she was dashing
and stumbling among the rocks like a frenzied creature seeking safety
from the remorseless, devouring monster that roared behind her.
The next five minutes of her life held for her an agony more terrible
than anything she had ever known. Sea, sky, wind, and sudden pelting
rain seemed leagued against her in a monstrous array against which she
battled vainly with her puny woman's strength. The horror of it was like
a leaden, paralysing weight.
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