"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.