re was a scream, and a female figure sprang out from
the shadows and rushed before Jack just as Thornton pulled the trigger.

There was a single report, and the female figure dropped to the ground,
although Diamond tried to catch her in his arms.

Thornton, the smoking pistol in his hand, stood staring, as if turned to
stone.

"Good gracious!" gasped Willis Paulding. "You have shot somebody,
Thornton, deah boy!"

"There must have been some mistake," said Tad Horner. "It seems that
there was a bullet in your pistol, Tom!"

Thornton hurried forward and looked down at the fallen girl, whose eyes
were closed, and whose face seemed ghastly pale in the white moonlight.

"It is Miss Darling!" came hoarsely from Tom. "I have killed her!"

"Don't let the murderer escape!" cried Diamond, sternly. "Seize him and
his second! They are both guilty!"

"Excuse me!" fluttered Willis Paulding. "I think I will go right away,
don't yer 'now!"

Then he took to his heels, and ran, as if pursued by a hundred officers
of the law.

Thornton was scarcely less terrified, and he slipped away into the
shadows while the others were gathered around the fallen girl.

When both Willis and Tom were gone, the girl suddenly sat up, and burst
into a peal of boyish laughter.

"There!" cried the voice of Danny Griswold; "didn't I do that all right?
I wouldn't be surprised if Thornton's hair turned gray. But I'm going to
get out of this rig as soon as possible. These corsets are killing me. I
can't get a full breath."

"You little rascal!" laughed Frank Merriwell, as he gave Griswold a
shake. "You are a born actor, and you have given Tom Thornton a shock
that he will not get over for some time--to say nothing of Willis
Paulding."

"If it cures Thornton of bragging about his mashes I'll be satisfied,"
said Tad Horner. "But I'm afraid he'll never forgive me. I'll have to
make a hustle and find him before he does something desperate. I'll tell
him Miss Darling simply fainted, and was not injured at all. Good-night,
fellows. See you later."

Then he hastened away.

"Well, Jack," said Frank, addressing Diamond, "it strikes me that you
and I are more than square with Mr. Flemming and Mr. Thornton."

"I think that is right," admitted the Virginian, with a grim smile.

CHAPTER XVII.

PURE GRIT.

All other college sports seem to grow dim in comparison with the great
spring race. It is the crowning athletic event of the season. The vas