She called on him for an effort, pleading with him to try, to put one foot before another, to help just one little bit. But his weight lay almost dead upon her shoulder. He was fainting from his effort to come to her and from the shock of the last terrible explosion. She must do all herself. The hoop of fire flamed before her, through which she must drag him, and her mind and reason quailed but her heart fought on for its love, blessing God for the strong sure feet that the hills had given her and the cunning strength in handling the helpless bodies of men which her training had taught her. These things had been given to her for this her moment. Her ears were full of the fearful cries of men in madness, her eyes were open only to see that ring of fire toward which she was staggering with her burden, but her heart was strong and sure. What cared she for the dreams of a heaven that she had made, when she had the warm body of her love in her arms! All the women in creation might write love letters to him, but he was hers and she would take him through that ring of fire and out to safety! He was hers, and she would have him! Men shouted to her, to go back, that help was coming quickly another way, that she was crazy to try to go out that way. But she fought her way out step by step, through all the blurring horror, up to the ring of fire, and, staggering, whispering, praying to her love, she went stumbling through wreck and spitting flames, half carrying, half dragging her man out into God's open. A little way out in the grass, away from the worst of the danger, she stopped--she could go no farther--and let him slip, cunningly and gently as she could, full length upon the ground. For the moment, they were left alone. Men running shouting to the work of rescue did not heed them. And Augusta knelt fixing the big bandage to Jimmie's throat, and whispering to him. For now, when the strength of her body was exhausted, her heart went cold with the fear that he had died in her arms. But the cool freshness of the grass came up like a reviving shock to Wardwell's body. He stirred easily, drew two or three good breaths, and then he spoke, slowly and easily. "How is it, dear," he asked, plainly knowing that Augusta was there with him, "are we going _on_, or do we stay? Whichever it is, you know, I'm for you." Augusta gave one little animal cry of pure joy. For, instantly, she _knew_ that all was well, that she would have him again, alive and strong! Then she bubbled over in tears and the hysteria of gladness, crying: "We're going to _stay_, Jimmie darling, we're going to _stay_! And if I wasn't afraid of hurting you, I'd hug and kiss you till--!" "Oh, you might take a chance--" said Jimmie. And he went contentedly off to sleep. Out of the chaos of noise and the uncertain light a big tall doctor man came striding across the grass to them, dressed in a long white operating coat which he had forgotten to throw off.