Lucas made no comment, but mechanically unfastened the horse and turned toward the house, his brother stumbling behind, quite exhausted by the hurry and fatigue of the hour.

As they went Lucas said:  “How did you come to know of it?”

“Well, it was cur’us,” said Theodore.  “You know I had old Sam this morning, bringing in a little jag of wood for Armidy, and lengthened out the traces to fit the old waggin.  Well, all I know about it is what I guess.  I see from the looks they must ‘a’ concluded to go to the village with some eggs and so on, ’cause you can see in the road where they smashed when the basket flew out; and Jerry didn’t know no more than to hitch up into the buggy without shortenin’ the traces, and you know how that would work.  Well, the cur’us thing is that I was out in the paster mowin’ some brakes—­here, let me hitch up this side, while you do the other—­and I heard somebody or somethin’ comin’ slam-bang, and I looked up—­I wa’n’t near enough so as to see who ’twas nor anythin’—­and I looked up, and see ’em comin’ like hudy, down one of them pitches.  Thinks said I, well, there’s a hitch-up that’s goin’ to flinders—­and just then the forward wheel struck a big stone, and I see the woman and man and all fly inter the air and come down agin, and the hoss went.”

“Where’s the horse now?” said Lucas.

“I don’t know, and I don’t care.  Tell ye, best put a feather-bed in the bottom of this waggin, because her arm’s broke for certain, and I don’t know what else.  I’ll fetch it—­if you’ve got some spirits.”

“Yes,” said Lucas, “I’ll fetch some;” and both hurried into the house, and soon came out again and hastened off.

“How did you know who ’twas?” Lucas inquired, with solemn curiosity fitting the occasion.

“Why, I didn’t; but I knew when they didn’t offer to git up, whoever ’twas wanted help, and I put across the lot to ’em, and sure enough ’twas Armidy and Jerry.  I looked her over, and see by the way she lay that one of her arms was broke, anyway, and stepped over to where Jerry was, and sir! he was as dead as Moses!  Head struck right on a big stone and broke his neck—­his head hung down like that,” letting his hand fall limply from the wrist.

“Does she know?” said Lucas.

“No, and I hope she won’t for a spell.  She hadn’t come to when I left her.”

Lucas struck the horse with the end of the reins to urge him on.

“There, now you can see ’em,” said Theodore, rising in his seat and pointing down the road.  Lucas followed his example, and looking before them they could see both husband and wife lying motionless in the road.

[Illustration:  “LOOKING BEFORE THEM THEY COULD SEE BOTH HUSBAND AND WIFE LYING MOTIONLESS IN THE ROAD.”]

Between them they soon lifted poor Armida into the wagon, and laid her on the bed as tenderly as might be, eliciting a groan by the operation.

“Best give her some?” said Lucas, bringing a bottle of brandy from out his pocket.  “Come to think of it, best not.  She won’t sense it so much if she don’t realize.”