I had
been in time."

What was to be done next? Down the river he must go, and they would be
upon the bridge in two moments after leaving the cottage.--He must
shoot the middle arch, for that was the highest. But if he escaped
being dashed against the bridge before he reached the arch, and even
had time to get in a straight line for it, the risk was a terrible one,
with the water within a few feet of the keystone.

But when he shot the _Bonnie Annie_ again through the door of the
cottage, neither arch nor bridge was to be seen, and the boat went down
the open river like an arrow.

CHAPTER LXV.

Alec, looking down the river on his way to the cottage, had not seen
the wooden bridge floating after him. As he turned to row into the
cottage, it went past him.

The stone bridge was full of spectators, eagerly watching the boat, for
Truffey had spread the rumour of the attempt; while the report of the
situation of Tibbie and Annie having reached even the Wan Water, those
who had been watching it were now hurrying across to the bridge of the
Glamour.

The moment Alec disappeared in the cottage, some of the spectators
caught sight of the wooden bridge coming down full tilt upon them.
Already fears for the safety of the stone bridge had been openly
expressed, for the weight of water rushing against it was tremendous;
and now that they saw this ram coming down the stream, a panic, with
cries and shouts of terror, arose, and a general rush left the bridge
empty just at the moment when the floating mass struck one of the
principal piers. Had the spectators remained upon it, the bridge might
have stood.

But one of the crowd was too much absorbed in watching the cottage to
heed the sudden commotion around him. This was Truffey, who, leaning
wearily on the parapet with his broken crutch looking over it also at
his side, sent his soul through his eyes to the cottage window. Even
when the bridge struck the pier, and he must have felt the mass on
which he stood tremble, he still kept staring at the cottage. Not till
he felt the bridge begin to sway, I presume, had he a notion of his
danger. Then he sprang up, and made for the street. The half of the
bridge crumbled away behind him, and vanished in the seething yellow
abyss.

At this moment, the first of the crowd from the Wan Water reached the
bridge-foot. Amongst them came the schoolmaster. Truffey was making
desperate efforts to reach the bank. His mended crutch