Part 33 (1/2)
dick hesitated He had not come to see Jim, and Carrie noted his irresolution with some amuseet home for dinner,” he said, and turned to Mordaunt ”Start your engine, Lance”
As Mordaunt went down the steps the throb of the other car stopped suddenly and they heard a faint crash
”Hallo!” dick exclaiine Jim has cut the corner too fine,” said Mordaunt ”Come on!”
He ran down the steps and as he started the car the others jumped up
Mordaunt had not meant to take Carrie, but he did not stop and the car sped away He let her go full-speed down the hill, dashed through the aard gateway, touching the post, and drove furiously to the bend where the road ran on to the marsh Then there was a violent jerk as he put on the brakes, and the beam of the head-lamps touched and stopped upon a tilted car that lay with the wheels on one side in the ditch
”Bring a lamp,” said Mordaunt coolly, and next rass
A soft hat lay in the road, and broken glass was scattered about, but for a minute or two they could not see Ji Then Jake stooped down, holding out the lamp
”This way!” he shouted ”He's in the ditch!”
The others gathered round his in the water and the upper part of his body pressed against the bank by the front wheel of the car His eyes were shut, his face hite and stained by blood Jake's hand shook so that he could hardly hold the laht now,” he said hoarsely ”The wheel's on his chest If she slips down, she'll break his ribs”
For a fewillumination of the laainst the dark Jake wore an A dress, and she had no hat dick noted that her hands were clenched and her ht not to have let her see Jinificant
dick, however, could not dwell on this just then Theyto be difficult The car rested insecurely on the edge of the bank and the broken branches of the thorns If they disturbed it rashly, it ht slip down and crush the unconscious man
Mordaunt was the first to see a way and juet your backs under the axle,” he said
They obeyed and, standing in the water, tried to lift the car For a few ht above forced their feet into the asped and strained, the wheel rose an inch or two from Jim's chest
”Lift him, Carrie! Lift him now!” Jake shouted in a breathless voice
Carrie seized Ji him up He was heavy; she choked with the tense effort and did not know afterwards hoas ed him up a foot and then to one side
The strain was horrible, but she held on and thought she saw the car tilt and the back wheel tear the peaty soil fro, dick fell back, and she saw that Jim was clear of the wheel For a loom It was dark with blood, his teeth shone between his drawn-back lips, and the veins on his forehead were horribly swollen Then there was a crash aht over
Mordaunt staggered and fell, and so Jim up; Carrie did not know if it was dick or Jake Next asped and the water ran froot all the weight at the last”
Mordaunt smiled It looked as if he could not speak, and while Carrie wiped Ji your car We et him home”
dick turned the car and they put Jiainst Carrie's knee When they started she bent and held his shoulders, and in a few minutes they rolled up the drive Then Carrie pulled herself together, gave orders, and took control; and when they had carried Jiave Mordaunt her hand
”You saved hiet!”
”I happened to see a plan before the others; that's all,” Mordaunt replied ”I'll get off now and send a doctor”