. "Missed! She's got it!" he cried, eagerly. "The
devil!"

As Allis grasped Diablo's rein, the horse, with sudden fury at being
drawn toward Lauzanne, his old foe, snapped at the Chestnut. As he did
so, thrown out of his stride, his forelegs crossed and he went down in
a heap with the rider underneath. The force of his gallop carried the
Black full over onto his back. He struggled to his feet, and stood,
shaking like a leaf, with low-stretched neck and fearcocked ears,
staring at the crushed, silent figure that lay with its face smothered
in the soft earth. In a dozen jumps Allis stopped Lauzanne, threw
herself from the saddle, and leaving the horse ran swiftly back to her
father.

"Oh, my God! he's dead, he's dead!" she cried, piteously, the nerve that
had stood the strain of the fierce ride utterly shattered and unstrung
at sight of the senseless form.

"He's not dead," said Carter, putting his hand over Porter's heart.
"It's just a bad shake-up. Mike's coming, and we'll soon get him home.
He'll be all right, Miss Allis--he'll be all right," he kept muttering
in a dazed manner, as he raised her father's head to his knee.

"Take Lucretia and gallop for the docthor, Miss 'Allis," commanded Mike
coming up on the run. "We'll get yer father home in the buggy."

"In God's mercy, don't let him die, Mike," and bending down she pressed
her lips to the cold forehead that was driven full of sand. "Get him
home quick, and try not to let mother see. I'll take Lauzanne."

Lauzanne had followed her and was standing waiting; his big eyes full of
a curious wonderment. Mike lifted Allis to the saddle. As he drew back
his hand he looked at it, then up at the girl. "Don't cry, Miss," he
said, struggling a little with his voice that was playing him tricks;
"yer father's just stunned a bit. The dochtor'll brace him up all
right."

"It's bad business, this," he continued, as Allis galloped on her
errand, and he helped Carter lift the injured man. "There, that's
roight; jist carry his legs; I'll take him under the back."

As they moved slowly toward the buggy that stood in the paddock, Diablo
followed at their heels as though he had done nothing in the world but
take a mild gallop. "Ye black divil!" muttered Mike, looking over his
shoulder; "ye've murthered wan av the best min as iver breathed. If I'd
me way, I'd shoot ye. I'd turn ye into cat meat; that's what ye'r fit
for!"

"What broke the rein?" he asked of Carter as they near