t before
Leonie's eyes, quite close, through the trees, appeared the funnels and
masts of the river craft.

"Oh!" she said involuntarily, having retained no impression during her
motor drives of the road to Kidderpore; as the Devil tore with her
across the old polo ground and the old Ellenborough course, straight to
the crowded Strand Road.

And then she sighed a little sigh of relief, for the bay heaved
alongside and a hand stretched for her bridle.

Side by side they clattered across the Strand towards the Prinseps
Ghat, standing just as ostracised and white as the Marble Arch.

Would the two horses crash headlong into the columns, or would the
Devil yield in time to the strong hand pulling on the bit?

Neither.

Terrified by the shouts of the populace, and the shrill whistling from
the river, he raced along so close to the left side of the monument
that Cuxson's boot scratched against the stone.

But as they crashed across the Strand and the sharp incline on the
other side of the railway lines appeared, Cuxson, knowing that the
moment had arrived, dropped his reins, and gripping the bay with his
knees, leant over towards Leonie as she dropped her reins, and
loosening her grip on the pommel, prepared to break her neck or her
back or both as she slipped from the saddle.

Then she felt an arm round her waist.

She knew intuitively her rescuer's intention, _but_----!

Would a man's left arm be strong enough to lift her across her horse's
hind-quarters at the terrific speed they were going, combined with her
weight?

Would he be able to hold her until his horse slackened speed, or would
they both overbalance and hurtle to the ground together? Would there
be time to stop the horse, or would they all be hurled into the water?

The questions had hardly flashed through her mind when she felt herself
lifted and swung.

For one petrifying moment the bay, pulled savagely until blood stained
the bit, reared with its double weight within a yard of the steep
incline, then, yanked cruelly by its master, swung sideways and came
down; just as the Devil, striving at the last moment to check his wild
career, hesitated for one half-second, then, pushed by his own terrific
impetus, slid over the incline, and turning a complete somersault
backwards, crashed into the water.

* * * * * * * *

Leonie's scarlet mouth trembled, and her yellow-green eyes gleamed as
the man she loved pressed b