e up on the bank, turned it
over, emptied it, and put it back in the water. Fred Hicks was holding
it at arm's length now in the water; and the would-be bridegroom had
crawled out to the extreme end, and with rolled-up sleeves was pawing
about in the water, which did not appear to be very deep. At the cry
they turned; and Fred Hicks, forgetting the other man's plight, let go
the boat, and dashed back to the road. Young Laws, arising too
hastily, rolled into the water completely, and came splashing up the
bank in a frothy state of mind. But suddenly, as they came, while
Myrtle's best efforts were put forth to hinder Leslie's movements,
something cold and gleaming flashed in her face that sent her
crouching back in the corner of her seat and screaming. Leslie had
slipped her hand into the little secret pocket of the car door and
brought out her revolver, hoping fervently that it was still loaded,
and that Allison had not chosen to shoot at a mark or anything with it
the last time he was out.

"You'd better sit down and keep quiet," she said coolly. "I'm a good
shot."

Then she put her foot on the clutch, and the car started just as Fred
Hicks lit on the running-board.

Leslie's little revolver came promptly around to meet him, and he
dropped away with a gasp of surprise as suddenly as he had lit.
Suddenly Leslie became aware of the other young man dripping and
breathless, but with a dangerous look in his eye, bearing down upon
her from the lake side of the road; and she flashed around and sent a
shot ringing out into the road, the bullet ploughing into the dust at
his very feet. The car leaped forward to obey her touch, and in a
second more they had left the two young men safely behind them.

Myrtle was crouched in the back seat, weeping; and Leslie, cool and
brave in the front seat, was trembling from head to foot. This was a
new road to her; at least, she had never been more than two or three
miles on it, and she did not know where she would bring up. She began
to wonder how long her gasoline would hold out, for she had been in
such a hurry to get away with Myrtle before Allison should come home
that she had forgotten to look to see if everything was all right; and
she now remembered that Allison had had the car out late the night
before. Everything seemed to be falling in chaos about her. The earth
rose and fell in front of her excited gaze; the sun was going down;
and the road ahead seemed endless, without a turn