That
movement of the horse brought him half way around towards the door and he
was tempted mightily to look, for he knew that Betty Neal was standing
there, begging him with her eyes. But the great, sullen pain conquered; he
straightened out the mare for the gate.
Betty was indeed at the door, leaning against it in a sudden weakness, and
even in her pain she felt pride in the grace and skill of Vic's
horsemanship. The hearts of both of them were breaking, with this rather
typical difference: that Gregg felt her to be entirely at fault, and that
she as fully accepted every scruple of the blame. He had come down tired
out and nervous from work he had done for her sake, she remembered, and if
he would only glance back once--he must know that she was praying for it--
she would cry out and run down to him; but he went on, on, through the
gate.
A flash of her passion returned to her. "I shall go with Blondy--if it
kills me." And she flung herself into the nearest seat and wept.
So when he reached the road and looked back at last, the doorway yawned
black, empty, and he set his teeth with a groan and spurred down the road
for Alder.
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