ran through
her as one shoe dipped under. Larry was on his feet yet, but there was a
fierce white frothing about him, and when in another pace or two he
slipped down she broke into a stifled scream. The next moment she saw his
face again faintly white beneath her amidst the sliding foam, and fancied
that he was swimming or being dragged along. The horse, she felt, had lost
its footing, and had its head up stream. How long this lasted she did not
know, but it seemed an interminable time, and the dull roar of the water
grew louder and deafened her, while the blackness that closed in became
insupportable.

"Larry!" she gasped. "Larry, are you there!"

A faintly heard voice made answer, and Grant appeared again, shoulder-deep
in the flood, while the dipping and floundering of the beast beneath her
showed that the hoofs had found uncertain hold; but that relief only
lasted a moment, and they were once more sliding down-stream, until, when
they swung round in an eddy, the head that showed now and then dimly
beside her stirrup was lost altogether, and in an agony of terror the girl
cried aloud.

There was no answer, but after a horrible moment or two had passed a
half-seen arm and shoulder rose out of the flood, and the sudden drag on
the bridle that slipped from her fingers was very reassuring. The horse
plunged and floundered, and once more Hetty felt her dragging skirt was
clear of the water.

"Through the worst!" a voice that reached her faintly said, and they were
splashing on again, the water growing shallower all the time until they
scrambled out upon the opposite bank. Then, the man checking the horse,
stood by her stirrup, pressing the water from the hem of her skirt,
rubbing the little open shoe with his handkerchief, which was saturated.
Even in that hour of horror Hetty laughed.

"Larry," she said, "don't be ridiculous. You couldn't dry it that way in a
week. Lift me down instead."

Larry held up his hands to her, for on that side of the river the slope to
the level was steep, and when he swung her down the girl kissed him
lightly on either cheek.

"That was because of what we have been through, dear," she said. "There
was a horrible moment, when I could not see you anywhere."

She stopped and held up her hand as though listening, and Larry laughed
softly as a faint drumming of hoofs came back to them through the roar of
the flood.

"Breckenridge! He must have Muller or somebody with him, and they are