did. Nelly resigned herself to fate, and privately disengaged her

feet from the baskets of flowers on the floor and prepared for jumping. Winnie just drew a good long breath, and sat well back, with parted lips, in an ecstasy too great for speech. Ria could hardly restrain herself from jumping up and shouting out "Hurrah!" while Coxon even ventured on a smile--it was the sort of thing he thoroughly enjoyed himself; but which, as he very well knew, as often as not resulted in disaster on the way.

Take care! they were almost over, almost laid upon their sides, or heads, or anywhere except where they would like to be. There was a hole or something in the snow, which almost succeeded in spilling them. Look out! the off-mare shied. It was now look out indeed. The canter all at once became a gallop. The inside mare sympathised with her shying colleague, and between them it looked very much as though they meant to run away. Ria's unspoken wish was gratified. There was no mistake about their galloping downhill.

"Be steady, Duke," said Nelly, still quietly. "We are almost in the village, and you don't know who may be on the road. There are always children playing in the street."

"It will be bad for any one who is," said Duke.

Suddenly the look returned to him which we last saw beside the ruined train and in the talk with Lionel Pollyon--that "forlorn-hope" expression on his face. He sat well back, and, holding the reins with both his hands, tugged at the horses like grim death.

"They shall have it out," he said. "If there's nothing on the road we shall not come to grief."

They had it out! They tore through Trevenson--luckily there was nothing upon the road; but before they came to Camborne the pair had had about enough of it; but, none the less, although they dropped out of a gallop, they tore into the town at a tremendous pace.