“In God's mercy, don't let him die, Mike,” and bending down she pressed her lips to the cold forehead that was driven full of sand. “Get him home quick, and try not to let mother see. I'll take Lauzanne.”
Lauzanne had followed her and was standing waiting; his big eyes full of a curious wonderment. Mike lifted Allis to the saddle. As he drew back his hand he looked at it, then up at the girl. “Don't cry, Miss,” he said, struggling a little with his voice that was playing him tricks; “yer father's just stunned a bit. The dochtor'll brace him up all right.”
“It's bad business, this,” he continued, as Allis galloped on her errand, and he helped Carter lift the injured man. “There, that's roight; jist carry his legs; I'll take him under the back.”
As they moved slowly toward the buggy that stood in the paddock, Diablo followed at their heels as though he had done nothing in the world but take a mild gallop. “Ye black divil!” muttered Mike, looking over his shoulder; “ye've murthered wan av the best min as iver breathed. If I'd me way, I'd shoot ye. I'd turn ye into cat meat; that's what ye'r fit for!”
“What broke the rein?” he asked of Carter as they neared the buggy; “what started thim goin'?”
“Somebody was in the old stand,” Carter replied, as putting his foot on the step he raised himself and the dead weight of the limp man.
“There, steady, Ned. Pull the cushion down in the bottom. Now ye've got it. Bot' t'umbs! it's as good as an ambulance. I'll hold his head in me lap, an' ye drive. Here, Finn,” he continued, turning to the boy who had caught and brought up Lucretia, “take the wee filly an' that divil's baste back to the barn; put the busted bridle by till I have a good look at it after. Go on, Ned; slow; that's it, aisy does it. When we get out on the turnpike ye can slip along.”
When they had turned into the road he spoke again to Carter, “Ye were sayin', Ned, there was a guy in th' ould stan'.”
“Yes,” replied Carter; “somebody was toutin' us off. A board broke, an' that frightened the boss's mount.”
“I t'ought I see a b'y skinnin' off the track,” commented Gaynor. “First I t'ought it was Shandy, but what'd he be doin' there? Did ye see his face, Ned?”