It was,
however, evident that he could not steer the ponies around the bend,
and the fall to the rocks beneath the bridge might mean death.

"Hold fast for your life," he shouted, and let the team run straight
on. There was a heavy shock as the light wheels struck a fallen branch
on leaving the graded road. The vehicle lurched, and Millicent, whose
eyes were wide with terror, screamed faintly. Geoffrey still stood
upright driving the team straight ahead down a more open glade of the
forest. He knew that the stems of the fern and the soft ground beneath
would soon bring them to a standstill if they did not strike a
tree-trunk first.

The going was heavy, and with a plunge or two, the ponies stopped on
the edge of a thicket. Geoffrey, alighting, soothed the trembling
creatures with some difficulty, led them back to the road, and, taking
his place again, turned towards Millicent. It appeared necessary that
he should soothe her, too, for, though generally a self-possessed
person, the emotions of the last few minutes had proved too much for
her. She had suffered from remorse, disgust with herself, rage against
her husband, and to these there had also been added the fear of sudden
death.

"It ended better than it might have done," said Geoffrey, awkwardly.
"Very sorry, but you must really be careful in using the whip to the
ponies. Shall I get down and bring you some water, Millicent? You
look faint. The fright has made you ill."

"No," Millicent denied. "I am not ill; only startled a little--and
very grateful." Instinctively, she moved a little nearer him when
Geoffrey handed her the reins again. He bent his head and smiled
reassuringly. Millicent was white in the face, and shivered a
little--she was also very pretty, and it would have been unkind not to
try to comfort her. Whether it was love of power, dislike to her
husband, or perhaps something more than this, even the woman was not
then sure, but she took full advantage of the position, and the ponies
walked undirected, while Geoffrey essayed to chase away her fears. He
bent his head lower towards her, and Millicent smiled at him with
apparently shy gratitude.

Lifting his eyes a moment, Geoffrey set his teeth as he met the coldly
indifferent gaze of Helen, who came towards them in company with Mr.
and Mrs. Thomas Savine. Millicent also saw the three Savines, and,
either tempted by jealousy of the girl or by mere vanity, managed to
convey a subtl