-wood, and been drowned.

"Feed the mare, boys," said Lord Betterson. "As soon as she is well
rested, I'll drive up to the broken bridge, and see if any discoveries
can be made."

Meanwhile, whatever Radcliff's fate, it did not prevent the family from
rejoicing over the recovery of the lost money. And now Rufe's attention
was called to another happy circumstance, one which promised to be to
them a source of deeper and more lasting satisfaction.

Cecie could walk!

Yes, the marvellous effects of the previous day's events were still
manifest in the case of the little invalid. Either the tremendous
excitement, thrilling and rousing her whole system, or the electric
shock which accompanied the whirlwind, or the exertions she felt
compelled to make when Rad ran off with the money,--or all combined (for
the doctors were divided in opinion on the subject),--had overcome the
paralysis of her limbs, which a long course of medical treatment had
failed to remove.

The family physician, who chanced to come over from the Mills that day,
maintained that what he had been doing for the injured spine, the source
of Cecie's troubles, had prepared the way for this result; while
neighbor Peakslow, when he heard the news, grunted, and said he "guessed
the gal could 'a' walked all the time if she had only thought she could,
or wanted to very much." All which made Cecie smile. She only knew that
she was cured, and was too proud and glad to care much what was said of
her.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

FOLLOWING UP THE MYSTERY.

In the course of the day Mr. Betterson and Rufe visited the supposed
scene of Rad's disaster, and there met by chance Jack and his friend
Forrest Felton, who for a similar object had driven up from North Mills.

The river had gone down almost as rapidly as it had risen, and fording
it now by daylight was no such difficult matter. But there still were
the timbers and tree-tops amidst which the vehicles had passed the night
before.

Jack showed marks on one of his wheels where the spokes had been sharply
raked, and told how, examining Snowfoot by daylight, he had found muddy
splashes on his flank, as if he had been struck there by a bough or
branch drenched in turbid water.

"I think," said he, "that as Rad was getting the buggy clear, the limb
of a tree turned over and hit the horse. That started him, and away he
went. I don't believe Rad is drowned."

Search was made among the rubbish at the bridge, and for s