a dull stupor
from which she was aroused only by occasional darting pains. She lay
with closed eyes, refusing to speak, but clutching with both hands at
Dreda's dress as if even in her semi-unconsciousness the terror of
movement still remained, and the cold mist crept nearer and nearer,
shutting out the landscape like a heavy screen. Dreda looked at the
little watch strapped round her wrist, and saw that the hands pointed to
three o'clock. In these short winter days it was often necessary to
ring for lamps before four o'clock--only another hour of daylight, and
then! What would happen if no help came within the next hour? Would
they have to spend the night together--Norah and she? Out in that
lonely path? Would they be found lying cold and stark when at last the
searchers came with the morning light?

Dreda was beginning to feel a little dazed herself. Even before the
accident had happened she had been feeling somewhat tired and chilled,
and the mental and physical sufferings of the past two hours had been
severe. Perhaps she had been weak in submitting to Norah's entreaties;
perhaps it would have been truer kindness to have inflicted the
momentary torture, so as to have gone in search of aid; but be that as
it might, the opportunity was past, and whether she wished it or not she
was now too cramped to move. Her limbs felt so paralysed that she
believed that she would never walk again. But the thought brought with
it no regret; she did not care. Nothing mattered any more, except that
there was no support against which to lean her weary back. She was so
tired, so sleepy; Norah's head was so heavy on her lap. Dreda's eyelids
drooped and opened; drooped again and remained closed; her head fell
forward on her chest. The grey mist crept nearer and covered her from
sight!

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

Rowena and Guy Seton gave themselves up to the pleasures of the hunt,
blissfully forgetful of the young brothers and sisters who were
following on wheels; and, indeed, of everything and everyone but just
their own two selves. There seemed always to be some incontrovertible
reason why they should keep by themselves, a little apart from the rest
of the field. Rowena's hunting experiences had been few, and her escort
was too anxious about her safety to allow her to try any but the very
simplest and smallest of jumps. This excess of precaution necessitated
many a detour, but neither of the two seemed anxious to mak