THE SILVER FOX 171 



too much way on. I only did harm. I 

 think he would have got across only for 

 that." She stopped and gulped down the 

 sob. It was dreadful to her to cry before 

 an inferior. '*' He all but got over, but he 

 dropped his hind legs into it and fell back. 

 I somehow caught those branches just as 

 he was going, and he dropped away from 

 under me, and I hung there. I couldn't 

 climb up. Then you came." She recovered 

 herself a little, and turned towards her 

 rescuer. " I haven't thanked you yet. It 

 was awfully good and plucky of you." 



Their eyes met, and it seemed as if till 

 then Lady Susan had not recognized Maria 

 Quin. She visibly flinched, and her flushed 

 face became a deeper red, while the hand 

 that had begun to feel for her purse came 

 out of her pocket empty. 



'* Little ye cried yestherday whin ye seen 

 my brother thrown out on the ground by 

 the pool," said Maria, with irrepressible 

 savageness, "you that's breakin yer heart 

 afther yer horse." 



