But her anxious questioning of the people who were scattered about relieved her, for she found that the two unfortunate persons who had been brought in were men.  Nobody knew whether they were alive or not, but everything possible was being done to revive them.  Several doctors had made their appearance, and messengers were running to the hotels for brandy, blankets, and other things needed.  In obedience to an excited entreaty from a physician, one of the groups surged outward and scattered a little, and Miss Panney saw the form of a strongly built man lying on his back on the sand, with men kneeling around him, some working his arms backward and forward to induce respiration, and others rubbing him vigorously.  It was difficult for her to restrain herself from giving help or advice, for she was familiar with, and took a great interest in, all sorts of physical distress, but now she turned away and hurried toward the sea.

She had heard the people say there was another one out there, and her sickening feeling returned.  She walked but a little way, and then she stopped and eagerly watched what was going on.  The bathing-master had been nearly exhausted when he reached the shore the second time, but he had rallied his strength and had swum out to the boat which was pulling about the place where the unfortunate bathers had been swimming.  Suddenly the oarsmen gave a quick pull, they had seen something, a man jumped overboard, there was bustling on the boat, something was pulled in, then the boat was rapidly rowed shoreward, the man in the water holding to the stern until his feet touched ground.

The people crowded to the water’s edge so that Miss Panney could scarcely see the boat when it reached shore, but presently the crowd parted, and three men appeared, carrying what seemed to be a very light burden.

“Oh, dear,” said a woman standing by, “that one was in the water a long time.  I wonder if it is a girl or a boy.”

Miss Panney said nothing, but made a few quick steps in the direction of the limp figure which the crowd was following up the beach; then she stopped.  Her nature prompted her to go on; her present feelings restrained her.  She could not help wondering at this, and said to herself that she must be aging faster than she thought.  Her distant vision was excellent, and she knew that the inanimate form which was now being laid on the dry sand was not a boy.

She turned and looked out over the sea, but she could not stand still; she must do something.  On occasions like this it was absolutely necessary for Miss Panney to do something.  She walked up the beach, but not toward the ring of people that had now formed around the fourth unfortunate.  She must quiet herself a little first.

Suddenly the old lady raised her hands and clasped them.  It was a usual gesture when she thought of something she ought to do.