298 THE VICARAGE. 



rather behind them, from a field on the right of 

 the road. 



" Your lives are in danger," exclaimed the per- 

 son, in a voice almost exhausted with running. 

 " Thank heaven that I have been in time." 



A young and well-dressed person now made his 

 appearance, and explained to the wondering party, 

 that the centre of the bridge had fallen in about 

 an hour before that he had paid a man to keep 

 watch at it, but finding that he had neglected to 

 do so, and having, from a rising ground, seen the 

 approach of the carriage, he had run through copse 

 and brake just in time to warn them of their dan- 

 ger. " I should have been too late," added he, 

 " had you not heard my shout." 



As the moon burst forth, they were enabled to 

 see the escape they had had from falling into the 

 turbulent abyss below. The Vicar was occupied 

 in mental thanksgiving for their preservation from 

 a fearful death, and then joined in grateful acknow- 

 ledgments to the stranger, by whose exertions 

 they had been rescued. 



ee We must now," he said, " consider how we 

 are to dispose of ourselves for the night. The 

 other bridge over the stream is at a considerable 

 distance, and the road to it is almost impassible 

 for a carriage, especially at night." 



" We had better," said Mary, calmly. " return 



