He grasped Mrs. Willoughby's hand and started.
"But Minnie!" said Mrs. Willoughby.
"You had better let him take her; it's safer for all of us," said Dacres.
Mrs. Willoughby looked back as she was dragged on after Dacres, and saw Tozer following them, holding Minnie's hand. This reassured her.
Dacres dragged her on to the foot of the bank. Here she tried to keep up with him, but it was steep, and she could not.
Whereupon Dacres stopped, and, without a word, raised her in his arms as though she were a little child, and ran up the bank. He plunged into the woods. Then he ran on farther. Then he turned and doubled.
Mrs. Willoughby begged him to put her down.
"No," said he; "they are behind us. You can not go fast enough. I should have to wait and defend you, and then we would both be lost."
"But, oh! we are losing Minnie."
"No, we are not," cried Dacres; "that man is ten times stronger than I am. He is a perfect elephant in strength. He dashed past me up the hill."