"Can you hear us? Albert, do you know me?" called the girl. His lips moved stiffly, but he smiled a little, and at length whispered slowly, "Yes; I guess--I'm all--right." "Put him into my cutter; Maud, get in here, too," the doctor commanded. The crowd opened as the doctor and Troutt helped the wounded man into the sleigh. The pain in his head grew worse, but Albert's perception of things sharpened in proportion; he closed his eyes to the sun, but in the shadow of Maud's breast opened them again and looked up at her. He felt a vague, child-like pleasure in knowing that she was holding him in her arms; he thought of his mother--"how it would frighten her if she knew." "Hello!" called a breathless, hearty voice, "what the deuce y' been doing with my pardner? Bert, old fellow, are you there?" Hartley asked, clinging to the edge of the moving cutter, and peering into his friend's face. Albert smiled. "I'm here--what there is left of me," he replied, faintly. "Glory! How did it happen?" he asked of the girl. "I don't know--I couldn't see--we ran into a culvert," replied Maud. "Weren't you hurt?" "Not a bit. I stayed in the cutter." Albert groaned, and tried to rise, but the girl gently yet firmly restrained him. Hartley was walking beside the doctor, talking loudly. "It was a devilish thing to do; the scoundrel ought to be jugged!" Albert tried again to rise. "I'm bleeding yet; I'm soaking you; let me get up!" The girl shuddered, but remained firm. "No; we're 'most home." She felt no shame, but a certain exaltation as she looked into the faces about her. She gazed unrecognizingly upon her nearest girl friends, and they, gazing upon her white face and unresponsive eyes, spoke in awed whispers. At the gate the crowd gathered and waited with deepest interest. It was enthralling romance to them. "Ed Brann done it," said one. "How?" asked another. "With the butt end of his whip." "That's a lie! His team ran into Lohr's rig." "Not much; Ed crowded him into the ditch." "What fer?" "Cause Bert cut him out with Maud." "Come, get out of the way! Don't stand there gabbing," yelled Hartley, as he took Albert in his arms and, together with the doctor, lifted him out of the sleigh. "Goodness sakes alive! Ain't it terrible! How is he?" asked an old lady, peering at him as he passed. On the porch stood Mrs. Welsh, supported by Ed Brann. "She's all right, I tell you. He ain't hurt much, either; just stunned a little, that's all." "Maud! child!" cried the mother, as Maud appeared, followed by a bevy of girls. "_I'm_ all right, mother," she said, running into the trembling arms outstretched toward her; "but, oh, poor Albert!" After the wounded man disappeared into the house the crowd dispersed. Brann went off by the way of the alley; he was not prepared to meet the questions of his accusers. "Now, what in ---- you been up to?" was the greeting of his brother, as he re-entered the shop. "Nothing."