was, it was not bright enough for
perfect pilotage. Never in the history of white men had these rapids been
ridden at night-time. As they sped down the flume of the deep,
irresistible current, and were launched into the trouble of rocks and
water, Jenny realized how great their peril was, and how different the
track of the waters looked at night-time from daytime. Outlines seemed
merged, rocks did not look the same, whirlpools had a different vortex,
islands of stone had a new configuration. As they sped on, lurching,
jumping, piercing a broken wall of wave and spray like a torpedo, shooting
an almost sheer fall, she came to rely on a sense of intuition rather than
memory, for night had transformed the waters.

Not a sound escaped either. The man kept his eyes fixed on the woman; the
woman scanned the dreadful pathway with eyes deep-set and burning,
resolute, vigilant, and yet defiant, too, as though she had been trapped
into this track of danger, and was fighting without great hope, but with
the temerity and nonchalance of despair. Her arms were bare to the
shoulder almost, and her face was again and again drenched, but second
succeeded second, minute followed minute in a struggle which might well
turn a man's hair gray, and now, at last--how many hours was it since they
had been cast into this den of roaring waters?--at last, suddenly, over a
large fall, and here smooth waters again, smooth and untroubled, and
strong and deep. Then, and only then, did a word escape either; but the
man had passed through torture and unavailing regret, for he realized that
he had had no right to bring this girl into such a fight. It was not _her_
friend who was in danger at Bindon. Her life had been risked without due
warrant. "I didn't know, or I wouldn't have asked it," he said, in a low
voice. "Lord, but you are a wonder--to take that hurdle for no one that
belonged to you, and to do it as you've done it. This country will rise to
you." He looked back on the raging rapids far behind, and he shuddered.
"It was a close call, and no mistake. We must have been within a foot of
down-you-go fifty times. But it's all right now, if we can last it out and
git there." Again he glanced back, then turned to the girl. "It makes me
pretty sick to look at it," he continued. "I bin through a lot, but that's
as sharp practice as I want."

"Come here and let me bind up your arm," she answered. "They hit you--the
sneaks! Are you bleeding much?"

He