ngly heavy, she looked round
her with a start almost of dismay; for the gray twilight was
already settling down over the dark river, and she was full a mile
away from home, with a heavy load to carry.

Cherry's heart fluttered a little, but it was rather in fear of her
aunt's displeasure than of any mischance likely to happen to
herself. She had been often to these osier beds, and had never
encountered a living soul there, and she would soon reach the
region of walls and gardens that adjoined the southern end of the
bridge. So taking her basket on her arm, she pushed her way upwards
from the river to the path along which lay her road, and turning
her face homeward, made all the haste she could to get back.

But how dark it looked to the eastward! Did ever evening close in
so fast? And how black and cold the river looked! She never
remembered to have seen it quite so cheerless and gloomy before. A
thick white fog was rising from the marshy lands, and she could not
see the friendly twinkling lights upon the bridge. Despite her
exertions, which were great, she felt chill and shivery; and when
at last she heard the sound of a lusty shout behind her, her heart
seemed to stand still with terror, and she stopped short and gazed
wildly back, to see whence the noise came.

What she saw by no means reassured her. Some fifty yards behind,
but mounted on fine horses, were two young gentlemen, plainly in a
state of tipsy merriment, and by no means disposed to allow any
prey, in the shape of a woman old or young, to escape them without
some sort of pleasantry on their part. Cherry heard their laughter
and their coarse words without understanding what it all meant; but
a great terror took hold of her, and leaving her basket in the
middle of the path, in the vain hope of tripping up the tipsy
riders, she fled wildly along in the direction of home. Her hood
falling back, disclosed her pretty floating curls beneath, and so
gave greater zest to the pursuit. Fleet of foot she might be, but
what availed that against the speed of the two fine horses? She
heard their galloping hoofs closer and closer behind her. She knew
that they were almost up with her now. Even the osier beds would
afford her no protection from horsemen, and she feared to trust
herself to the slippery ooze when the daylight had fled. With a
short, sharp cry she sank upon the ground, exhausted and half dead
with terror, and she heard the brutal shout of triumph with whi