“I have not forgotten, Miss Goldthwaite.”

She stopped on the ice, and laid her slim hand a moment on his shoulder.  “My soldier will remember his Captain still, I hope, in those happier days, and work for Him with double energy because they are happier.”

The moonlight showed trembling drops in the boy’s earnest eyes as he answered reverently—­“I will never forget how good He has been to me, Miss Goldthwaite, when I so little deserved it.”

“That is right, my boy; I am not afraid of you,” she said heartily.  “Here we are round the bend.  How lovely that moonlight shines through these gloomy pines.  Let us go right to the end before we turn.”

They set off again along the smooth sheet of ice, and as they neared the farther end of the lake Miss Goldthwaite turned aside to explore an opening between the trees.  A moment more and Tom heard a crash, followed by a faint scream.  He looked round, to see the edge of Miss Goldthwaite’s fur cloak disappearing through a huge fissure in the ice!  He had presence of mind to utter one wild, despairing cry, which re-echoed far off in the lonely pine wood, and then he plunged after her and caught her dress.  Superhuman strength seemed to come to him in that moment of desperate peril, and he managed to keep, hold of her with one hand, and with the other cling to the broken edge of ice.  It seemed hours before the ring of skates and the sound of voices announced help at hand, and his numbed fingers relaxed their hold of the ice just as Robert Keane and his brother’s strong arms bent down to rescue them.  He still had hold of Miss Goldthwaite, and two minutes sufficed to extricate them both.  They were unconscious, and Carrie’s sweet face was so deathly white that a mighty fear took hold of all present.  Alice Keane knelt down and laid her hand to her heart.  “Thank God,” she uttered tremulously, and it was fervently re-echoed by every lip.  They were borne to the Red House with great speed, and restoratives being applied, both rallied in a very short time.  Miss Goldthwaite’s first question was for Tom, as his had been for her; and she whispered to them faintly that he had saved her life at the risk of his own.  When Tom looked round, after a while, it was to find the judge and Mr. George Keane standing by his bed.

“God bless you, my lad,” said the old man huskily.  “You have saved our pretty flower.  All Pendlepoint will thank you for this.”

And Mr. George bent over him, his honest gray eyes dim with tears.  “I owe my wife’s life to you, Tom, my boy.  As long as I live I shall never forget this.”

A message was despatched to Thankful Rest reporting the accident, and saying the children would remain till next day, at least, at the Red House.  Mr. Goldthwaite also remained.  His words of thanks to Tom were few:  he was too deeply moved to speak, but Tom was quick to understand.  Next morning Miss Goldthwaite was able to appear at the breakfast table, looking a little paler than usual, but apparently not much the worse of her ducking.  Dr. Gair forbade Tom to get up till noon, so Carrie herself took up his breakfast-tray.  He looked surprised and greatly relieved to see her, and tried to make light of what he had done.