his side. He put his
arm around her, and drew her close.

"My darling little Sylvie!" he said.

She turned her face, and leaned it down upon his shoulder.

"O, Rodney, the poor man is killed!"

But as they stood so, a figure came toward them, over the high
water-bar below which they had stopped.

"For God's sake, is anybody hurt?" asked a strange, hoarse voice
with a tremble in it.

"Nobody!"

"O, are you the driver? I thought you must be killed! How
thankful!"--And Sylvie sobbed on Rodney's shoulder.

"Can I help you?" asked the man.

"No, look after your horses." And the man went on, down into the
dust, where the wreck was.

"We'll go, and send help to you," shouted Rodney.

Then he backed the gray horse carefully out upon the road again.

"Will you dare get in?" he asked of Sylvie.

"I do not think we had better. How can we tell how it is down there?
We may not be able to pass."

"It is below the turn, I think. But come,--we'll walk."

He took the bridle again, and gave his other hand to Sylvie. Holding
each other so, they went along.

When they came to the turn, they could see, just beyond the mass of
ruin; the great wagon, three wheels in the air,--one rolled away
into the ditch; the broken freight, flung all across the road, and
lying piled about the wagon. One horse was dead,--buried underneath.
Another lay motionless, making horrid moans. The teamster was
freeing the third--the leader, which stood safe--from chains and
harness.

Leading him, the man came up with Rodney and Sylvie, as they turned
into the side road.

"I knew you were just ahead, when it happened. I thought you were
gone for certain."

"There was a Mercy over us all!" said Sylvie, with sweet, tremulous
intenseness.

The rough man lifted his hand to his bare head. Rodney clasped
tighter the little fingers that lay within his own.

"What did happen?" he asked.

"The brake-rod broke; the pole-strap gave way; it was all in a heap
in a minute. I saw it was no use; I had to jump. And then I thought
of you. I'm glad you saw me, sir. You know I was sober."

"I know you were sober, and managing most skillfully. I had been
saying that."

"Thank you, sir. It's an awful job."

"Hark!" said Sylvie. "There's the man with the trunks."

"I forgot all about him," said Rodney.

"That's a fact," said the teamster. "Turn down here, to let him by.
Hallo!"

"Hallo! Come to grief?"

"We just have, then. Go ahead, will you, and b