but she had made a
desperate resolve. Scylla had heard the thunder of the approaching herd
too, and was too frightened to speak. Martha held her arms up toward
her just as the first flash of lightning came.

"Come, Scylla," she said, "slide off into my arms. The herd has
stampeded and is coming toward us, but I will try to save us both."

Without a word Scylla did as she was told, and in a few seconds was half
kneeling, half lying on the ground.

Then Martha struck Dan as hard as she could with her flat hand.

"Hey up, Dan!" said she, "run! run! _You_ needn't stay here, too!"

The horse galloped off into the darkness.

Just then another lighting-flash came and showed a cow-boy leaning far
over the neck of his pony, riding for his life. He passed only a dozen
yards from them, but did not see them. Behind him Martha could dimly see
two or three other riders coming toward them at desperate speed, while
still beyond she caught a glimpse of the tossing horns and lurching
heads of the cattle.

Without a moment for thought, and as coolly as if she had nothing in the
world to fear, she bent over trembling Scylla, unfastened the waistband
of her dress-skirt and pulled it deftly from under her. Then she quickly
removed her own and took one of the bright-colored garments in each
hand.

Just then the storm broke furiously. The night was suddenly lighted by
lightning-flashes that followed one another so closely they seemed to
make one long, lasting flare. The cow-boys had all passed, and Martha
saw that the herd was scarcely two hundred yards away.

She stepped directly in front of Scylla's prostrate form and raised the
skirts.

"Scream, Scylla, scream!" she cried.

Then, while the driving rain fell in torrents, and the lightning made
the prairie as light as day, she stood straight up and waved those
skirts wildly about her head, and shouted at the top of her voice.

She was dimly conscious that her shouts shaped themselves into a prayer
that her brother was safe, and that the herd might divide and pass them.
Her face was as pale as paper. Her long hair was tossed about by the
wind, and by her own violent motions.

The foremost of the cattle was only a hundred yards away now. She could
see the lightning shining on his horns and in his red, rolling eyes. He
was coming straight toward her. Louder she shouted and more wildly she
swung the skirts. Would he crush her, or would he turn aside? She felt
an almost overpoweri