crazy beast! Stop,
before we all get killed!"

But the horse only went the faster. And now, to increase his alarm, he
saw a buggy approaching from the opposite direction. It contained one of
the town lawyers, Silas Simms by name.

"We shall run into that buggy!" screamed the fair Belle. "Oh, Mr.
Gussing, be careful!"

A moment later the two turnouts came together with a crash, and one
wheel was torn from the buggy and the town lawyer pitched out headlong
to the ground. Then on went the carriage with the dude and the two young
ladies, at a faster pace than ever.

"Let me jump out!" screamed one of the ladies.

"No, not yet! You'll be killed, Grace," answered Belle.

"Then stop the carriage!"

Alas, the poor Felix was already doing his best to stop the horse. But
his jerkings on the reins only added to the horse's wildness.

Not far along the road was a good sized brook, spanned by a neat wooden
bridge. As the carriage neared the bridge, Felix pulled on the wrong
rein once again. The horse turned from the road proper, and descended
full speed into the stream itself.

"Oh, now we'll be drowned!" shrieked Grace.

But she was mistaken. The stream was easily fordable, so there was no
danger on that score. But the rate at which they were impelled through
the water naturally created no inconsiderable splashing, so that on
emerging on the other side the dude, as well as the young ladies, were
well drenched.

To the great joy of Felix the contact with the water cooled the ardor of
the steed, so that he resumed the journey at a far more moderate rate of
speed.

"Wasn't it just glorious!" cried Belle, who, after the danger seemed
past, grew enthusiastic. "What a noble animal!"

"Glorious?" echoed the dude. "I don't care much about such glory. As
for the noble animal--I--er--I wish he was hung! That's the best he
deserves."

The dude spoke bitterly, for the spell of terror was still on him. Had
he consulted his own wishes he would have leaped from the carriage and
left the ladies to their fate.

But the thought of the bewitching Belle made him keep his seat, and he
resolved that if he must die he would do it like a martyr.

The horse went on, and at last they neared the end of the short journey.
But here a new obstacle presented itself. There was a big fence and a
gate, and the gate was tight shut.

As they could not enter the grounds without opening the gate, the dude
got down out of the carriage. He did not