ew drops of rain, then a scud of finer
spray: and then the whole plain to the northwest turned white with a
driving sheet of water which came on, swept over us, and blotted
everything from sight in a great commingling of wind, water, fire
and thunder.

Virginia cowered on the bed, throwing the quilt over her. My cattle
turned their rumps to the storm and stood heads down, the water running
from their noses, tails and bellies, and from the bows and yokes. I had
stopped them in such a way as to keep us as dry as possible, and tried
to cheer the girl up by saying that this wasn't bad, and that it would
soon be over. In half an hour the rain ceased, and in an hour the sun
was shining again, and across the eastern heavens there was displayed a
beautiful double rainbow, and a faint trace of a third.

"That means hope," I said.

She looked at the wonderful rainbow and smiled a little half-smile.

"It doesn't mean hope," said she, "unless you can think out some way of
throwing that man off our track."

"Oh," I answered, with the brag that a man likes to use when a helpless
woman throws herself on his resources, "I'll find some way if I make up
my mind I don't want to fight them."

"You mustn't think of that," said she. "You are too smart to be so
foolish. See how well you answered the questions of that man and woman."

"And I didn't lie, either," said I, after getting under way again.

"Wouldn't you lie," said she, "for me?"

It was, I suppose, only a little womanly probe into character; but it
thrilled me in a way the poor girl could not have supposed possible.

"I would do anything for you," said I boldly; "but I'd a lot rather
fight than lie."

3

The cloud-burst had flooded the swales, and across the hollows ran broad
sheets of racing water. I had crossed two or three of these, wondering
whether I should be able to ford the next real watercourse, when we came
to a broad bottom down the middle of which ran a swift shallow stream
which rose over the young grass. For a few rods the road ran directly
down this casual river of flood water, and as I looked back it all at
once came into my mind that I might follow this flood and leave no
track; so instead of swinging back into the road I took instantly the
important resolution to leave the Ridge Road. By voice and whip I turned
my cattle down the stream to the south, and for a mile I drove in water
half-hub deep.

Looking back I saw that I left no trace except wher