en
entrusted to his care: not only would his life be the price of having
separated from the "Bunch," but infinitely worse, she must share the
same fate.

Despair lent him strength to support the girl with his left arm while he
tried to swing his right leg over and dig the heel of his skate into the
ice.

But all in vain, he tried and tried again. Numbed with cold, he felt
himself growing weaker and he knew that the end could not be far off
should the next attempt fail.

One more struggle--one last effort--and the skate, thank Heaven, had
caught! Then came the last act. Clenching his teeth and wildly imploring
help from on high, Harry gathered together his last remnant of strength,
and swung the girl on to the ice--Gladys was saved!

The boy's heart beat, his panting breath seemed to suffocate him, the
strain had been so fearful; now he could do no more, he seemed to make
no effort to save himself.

"Harry! Harry!" cried Gladys; "you must try more! I'm all right and can
help you--see, I am here close by!" she cried, frantic with terror. "It
will be all right directly," she added bravely as she lay flat down and
crept up to the edge of the ice.

The boy heard her encouraging words, but still made no progress.

"You are not doing your best, Harry! Think of me, if not of yourself.
Remember, I am alone and so frightened. Oh! do be quick. Here, take hold
of my hands."

This time her words went home, and the boy, half-paralysed with cold and
completely worn out, remembered his responsibility.

"Come along, Harry--hold hard! Yes, I can bear the weight!" called out
the courageous girl as she lay in her freezing garments on the ice, the
strain of the lad's weight dragging her arms almost from their sockets.

[Sidenote: Pluck Rewarded]

At last their pluck was rewarded. Heaven was good to them, and Harry
Elliott, trembling in every limb, his teeth chattering, his face pale as
the moon, stood by Gladys on solid ice. There was no time to waste in
words, the boy merely stretched out his hand to the exhausted girl and
started across the lake to the nearest house.

Not a word was spoken; they just sped onward, at first slowly and
laboriously, until the blood began to circulate and progress became
easier. When they reached the shore, they stood encased in solid ice,
their wet clothes frozen stiff by the keen frost of the glorious night.

Not for some days did Gladys betray any signs of the mental shock she
had received.