"Hell!" cried Calthorpe, "he's going to ram her."
There was no time to stop the engines, or to reverse them.
Those on The Dark Horse gave a yell of fear as the larger vessel bore down on their slighter craft.
Dane, fairly mad, shouted out abuse to Morley.
Another moment and the pursuing yacht struck the other midships, cutting her almost to the waterline.
All on board both ships were thrown down.
The Firefly reeled back.
Giles lifted his head to see Anne falling overboard as The Dark Horse lurched in the roaring waters.
With a cry of terror, he tore a lifebelt from its fastenings and threw himself after her.
After that he could only recollect that he was swimming for dear life and for her, amongst those furious waves.
Lifted on the crest of one he saw her some distance away—a white figure against the black water.
Then he went sliding down into the liquid valley.
How he reached her he did not know; but after a terrific struggle he found her in his arms.
He managed to slip the lifebelt over her head, and kept her up with one arm while he kept afloat with the other.
She was insensible, but Giles retained all his wits.
He caught a glimpse of the ragged, injured bows of The Firefly high above him, and saw that Calthorpe was launching a boat.
In a few moments it came plunging towards him, and he was hauled on board with Anne.
Steel was in the boat, ashy pale.
"Is our boat safe?" gasped Giles.
"Yes.
But The Dark Horse is going down.
Dane has gone overboard."
Suddenly Steel shrieked, and Giles turned to where he pointed.
In the trough of the sea The Dark Horse was plunging like a colt, rolling like a drunken man.
Giles saw Morley; near him Dane with a savage look on his face.
Morley, with terror in his eyes, tried to get away, but Dane reached him, flung his arms round him, and with a wild shout both men went down into the furiously bubbling witch-caldron, never to rise again.
The strain of the whole terrible business was too much for Giles Ware.
For the first and last time in his life he fainted.
The last recollection he had was of seeing the doomed vessel plunging downwards and a cloud of white steam rising with a terrible roar from her exploding boilers.
After that, darkness and insensibility. _____
CHAPTER XXVI
THE END OF THE TROUBLE
Giles returned to Rickwell within a week, to find that great changes had taken place in the place, even in that little while.
After the foundering of The Dark Horse, the other yacht had returned to England forthwith.
She had not been very badly damaged by Dane's mad act, although her bows had been smashed.
Calthorpe, indeed, had been on the point of putting in to the nearest port to refit, but finding that The Firefly was still seaworthy he held on until he got back to Dover.
Some of the crew of the lost ship had been picked up.
As they were all more or less connected with the Scarlet Cross Society, Steel took charge of them and conducted them to London.
Giles accompanied Anne to her mother.
The Princess Karacsay received her with open arms, and Olga with many professions of gratitude.
"You have undone all the harm I caused," said Olga to Giles.
"Oh, that's all right," he replied. "We are friends now?"
"Friends, and nothing more than friends.
I am returning to Vienna with my mother, and have agreed to marry Count Taroc."
Satisfied on this point, Giles went back to Rickwell, leaving Anne to the society of the Princess.
Almost as soon as he set foot in his home he was informed of the news by Trim.
"Mr. Franklin is dead," said Trim, with startling abruptness.
"Dead!" echoed Ware astonished. "Was his broken leg the cause?"
"No," replied the old man; "but yesterday he received a telegram, and afterwards took a dose of poison.
His daughter is coming here to see you, sir.