And while he held her, baffling her utmost efforts to free herself, he
was giving directions to Noel, whose nerve had departed completely with
the shock of the catastrophe, giving them over and over again--steadily,
insistently, and very distinctly, till they took effect at last, though
only just in time.

They were dangerously near the house before, in response to the boy's
frantic efforts, the car slackened and finally, under Holmes's reiterated
directions, ran to a standstill.

Chris, in a perfect frenzy by that time, wrenched herself free and sprang
down. Her husband, who had rushed from the house at her cry, was close to
her as she reached the ground, but she sped away without so much as
seeing him.

Back up the drive she tore, back to the shadowing trees, back to the
piteous little blot in the shadow that was the only thing her world
contained in that hour of anguish.

When they reached her she was sunk on the ground beside her favourite,
crying his name, while he, whimpering, strove to drag his mangled body
into her lap. She tried to lift him, but he yelped so terribly at her
touch that she was forced to let him lie.

"Oh, Cinders, Cinders!" she cried, in an agony. "My little darling, what
shall I do?"

Someone stooped over her; a quiet hand lay upon her shoulder. "Chris," it
was her husband's voice, very grave and tender, "come away, dear. You
can't do anything. The poor little chap is past our help."

She lifted a dazed face, staring uncomprehendingly.

"Come away," he repeated.

But when he tried to raise her she resisted him. "And leave him like
this? No, never, never! Oh, Trevor, look--look! He is dying! Can't we do
something--anything? Oh, he never cried like that before!"

"My dear, there is nothing that you can do." Very gently he made answer.
"He can't possibly live. There is only one thing to be done, and that is
to put him out of his pain as quickly as possible. But I can't do it
with you here. So come away, dear! It's the kindest--in fact, it's the
only--thing you can do."

"Are you going to--kill him?" gasped Chris in horror.

He nodded, with compressed lips. "There is no alternative. We can't let
him suffer like this."

"Oh no, no, no!" Chris cried.

She would have thrown her arms about her darling, but he stopped her. He
caught her wrists and held her back.

"Chris, you must not! When animals are hurt they will bite without
knowing what they are doing. Chris, do you hear me?