as amazed at as we are at this."

"Ah," Mme. Castanado responded, "never mine! Tha'z but the moral!
Aline and me we are insane for the story to finizh!" And the story was
resumed, to suffer no further interruption.]

At the river we burst out upon a broad, gentle bend up and down which
we could see both heavily wooded banks for a good furlong either way.

The sun's last beams shone straight up the lower arm of the bend. On
the upper bayed Charmer and Dandy, unseen. On the lower we heard the
younger pair. On the upper we saw only the clear waters crinkling in a
wide shallow over a gravel-bar, but down-stream we instantly discovered
Luke and his wife. Silhouetted against the level sunlight, heaving
forward with arms upthrown, waist deep in the main current, they were
more than half-way across. At that moment two small dark objects, the
two dogs, moved out from the shore, after them, each with its wake of
two long silvery ripples. The "puppy" was leading.

With a curse their master threw the horn to his lips and blew an
imperious note. The rear dog turned his head and would have reversed
his course, but seeing his leader keep on he kept on with him. Again
the angry horn re-echoed, and the rear dog promptly turned back though
the other swam on.

Rebecca threw a look behind and it was pitiful to hear her outcry of
despair and terror. But Luke faced about and, backing after her
through the flood, prepared to meet the hound naked-handed. Hardy
sprang to his tiptoes in the stirrups, his curses pealing across the
water. "If you hurt that dog," he yelled, "I'll shoot you dead!"

Up-stream the other two runaways were out on the gravel-bar, Euonymus
behind Robelia and Robelia splashing ludicrously across the shoal,
tearing off and kicking off--in preparation for deep water--sunbonnet,
skirt, waist, petticoat, and howling in the self-concern of abject
cowardice.

"Thank heaven, she's a swimmer," thought I, "and won't drown her
brother!" For only a swimmer ever cast off garments that way.

The flight of Euonymus, too, was bare-headed and swift, but it was
unfrenzied and silent. Neither of them saw Luke or Rebecca; the sun
was in their eyes and at that instant Charmer and Dandy, having met
some momentary delay, once more bayed joyously and sprang into view.
Like Luke, Euonymus faced the brutes. With another fierce outcry Hardy
blew his recall of all the four dogs.

Three turned at once but the youngster lau