CHAPTER XXI
BETTY COMES THROUGH
Betty admitted that she was badly frightened. She was afraid of thecrossed wires, and would have been in any case. The spurting blue flamesshe knew would savagely burn her and Ida Bellethorne if they touched them,and the wires might give a shock that would kill either girl or horse.
But seven miles or so beyond those sputtering flames was Dr. Pevy'soffice. And Dr. Pevy was needed right away at Candace Farm.
A picture of poor Hunchie lying white and moaning in the bed rose inBetty's memory. She could not return and report that it was impossible forher to reach the doctor's office. Afraid as she was of the crossed wires,she was more afraid of showing the white feather.
If Bob Henderson were here in her situation Betty was sure he would notback down. And if Bob could overcome difficulties, why couldn't Betty? Thethought inspired the girl to do as Bob would do--come through.
"I must do it!" Betty choked, holding the mare firmly headed toward thewrithing, crackling wires. "Ida! Get up! You can jump it.You--just--must!"
The black mare crouched and snorted. Betty would have given a good dealfor tiny spurs in the heels of her shoes or for a whip to lay along themare's flank. Spirited as the creature was, and well trained, too, herfear of fire made her shrink from the leap.
There was a width of six feet of darting flames. The electricity in theheavy cables was melting the other wires, and from the broken end of eachwire the blue light spurted. The snow was melting all about, turning blackand yellow in streaks. Betty did not know how long this would keep up; butevery minute she delayed poor Hunchie paid for in continued suffering.
"We must do it!" she shrieked to the horse. "You've got to--there!"
She whipped off her velvet hat and struck Ida Bellethorne again and again.The mare crouched, measured the distance, and leaped into the air. Wellfor her and for Betty that Ida Bellethorne had a good pedigree; had comeof a long line of forebears that had been taught to jump hedges, fences,water-holes and bogs. None of them had ever made such a perilous leap asthis!
The mare landed in softening snow, for the scathing flames were meltingthe drifts on either side. Betty had felt the rush of heat rising fromthe cables and had put her hat over her face.
Ida Bellethorne squealed. Without doubt she had been scorched somewhere.And now secure on her feet she darted away through the ravine, runningfaster than she had run while Betty had bestrode her.
Betty could not glance back at the sputtering wires. She must keep hergaze fixed ahead. Although at the speed the mare was now running it isquite doubtful if the girl could have retarded her mount in any degree.They came to the forks that Mrs. Candace had told her of, and Bettymanaged to turn the frightened mare up the steeper road to the left. Therewere few landmarks that the snow had not hidden; but the way to Dr. Pevy'swas so direct that one could scarcely mistake it.
Ida Bellethorne began to cool down after a while and Betty could guide hermore easily. She had begun to talk to the pretty creature soothingly, andleaned forward in her saddle to pat the mare's neck.
"I don't blame you for being scared, Ida Bellethorne," crooned Betty. "Iwas scared myself, and I'm scared yet. But don't mind. Just be easy. Yourpretty black apron in front is all spattered with froth, poor dear! Iwonder if this run has done your cough any harm--or any good. Anyway, youhaven't coughed since we started."
But Betty knew that if the mare stood for a minute she must be covered andrubbed down. She had this in her mind when she came to the blacksmith shopand the store, directly opposite each other. Dr. Pevy's, she had beentold, was the second house beyond on the blacksmith side of the road.
It proved to be a comfortable looking cottage with a barn at the back, andshe urged Ida Bellethorne around to the barn without stopping at thehouse. The barn door was open and a man in greasy overalls was tinkeringabout a small motor-car. He was a pleasant-looking man with a beard andeyeglasses and Betty was sure he must be the doctor before he even spoketo her.
"Hullo!" exclaimed the amateur machanic, rising up with a wrench in onehand and an oil can in the other. "Whew! That mare has been travelingsome. And such a beauty! You're from Bill Candace's I'm sure. Did she runaway with you? Here, let me help you."
But Betty was out of the saddle and had led the mare in upon the floor,although Ida Bellethorne looked somewhat askance at the partly dismantledcar.
"Needn't be afraid of the road-bug, my beauty," said Dr. Pevy, putting outa knowing hand to stroke the mare's neck. "She must be rubbed down and acloth put on her----"
"I know," said Betty hastily. "I'll do it if you'll let me. But can you goback with me, Doctor?"
"To the Candace Farm?"
"Yes, sir. A man has been seriously hurt and there was nobody else tocome."
"Wonder you got here without having a fall," said Dr. Pevy.
"She is sharpened. And she is a dear!" gasped Betty. "But I hope you canstart right away. Hunchie is suffering so."
"Can't use the road-bug, that's sure," said Dr. Pevy, glancing again atthe car. "That's why I was doctoring her now while the snow is too deep.But I still have old Standby and the sleigh. I'll start back with you in afew minutes and we'll lead the mare. The exercise will do her good. My!What a handsome creature she is."
"Yes, sir. She is quite wonderful," said Betty; and while they gave IdaBellethorne the attention she needed Betty told the doctor all aboutHunchie and her ride through the forest. When Dr. Pevy heard about thebroken wires in the road, he went to the house and telephoned to theCliffdale power house to tell them where the break was. The linemen werealready searching for it.
"That peril will be averted immediately," he said coming back with hisoveralls removed, a coat over his arm and carrying his case in his otherhand. "That's it, my dear. Walk her up and down. Such a beauty!"
He got out his light sleigh and then led Standby, a big, red-roan horse,out on the floor to harness him.
"These automobiles are all right when the snow doesn't fly," Dr. Pevyremarked. "But up here in the hills we have so much snow that one has tokeep a horse anyway or else give up business during the winter. You were aplucky girl to come so far on that mare, my dear. A Washington girl, yousay?"
"We just came from Washington," Betty explained. "But I can't really claimto belong there. I--I'm sort of homeless, I guess. I do just love thesemountains and this air."
"This air," commented Dr. Pevy, "smells just now of a storm. And I thinkit may drizzle again. Now, if you are ready, my dear."
He unbuckled Ida Bellethorne's bridle rein and made it a leading rein. Hehelped Betty into the sleigh and gave her the rein to hold. The mare ledeasily, and merely snorted when Standby leaned into the collar and startedthe sleigh.
The roan was heavy footed, and his shoes, too, were calked. They startedoff from the village at a good jog with the blanketed black mare trottingeasily behind the sleigh.
Betty tried to mould her velvet hat into shape. It had been a hat that shevery much prized, and was copied after one Ada Nansen wore, and Ada setthe fashions at Shadyside. But that little hat would never be the sameagain after being used as a goad for Ida Bellethorne. Betty sighed, andgave up her attempt.
When they came to the place in the ravine where the wires were down Dr.Pevy drew up Standby. The mare snorted, recognizing the spot. But theelectrical display was over, for the power had been turned off.
"You certainly must have had a narrow squeak here," remarked thephysician, as he looked at the fallen wires.
"Oh, Doctor, it was awful!" breathed Betty. "I thought sure that we weregoing to have the worst kind of accident."
"The company ought really to put up a new line of poles, so many of theseare getting rotten," was the doctor's reply. "But I suppose they are hardup for money these days, and can afford only the necessary repairs."
The sleigh climbed the mountain after that to the Candace Farm. As theycame in sight of it Betty saw the troop of young stock being driven inthrough the lane, and saw Bob and Tomm
y with the stock farmer and his men.It was well she had ventured for the doctor on the black mare, or poorHunchie Slattery would have suffered much longer without medicalattention.
Bobby ran out to meet them when the sleigh came into the yard. Mrs.Candace stood at the back door explaining to the red-faced man, herhusband. It was Bob who came to take the leading rein of the black marefrom Betty's hand.
"Cricky!" he exclaimed. "What have you been up to now, Betsey? Is thisthat English mare? Isn't she a beauty! And you've been riding her?"
"I've been flying on her," sighed Betty, "Don't talk, Bob! I never expectto travel so fast in the saddle again unless I become a jockey. And I knowI am growing too fat for that."