CHAPTER XXI

BETTY COMES THROUGH

Betty admitted that she was badly frightened.  She was afraid of the crossed wires, and would have been in any case.  The spurting blue flames she knew would savagely burn her and Ida Bellethorne if they touched them, and the wires might give a shock that would kill either girl or horse.

But seven miles or so beyond those sputtering flames was Dr. Pevy’s office.  And Dr. Pevy was needed right away at Candace Farm.

A picture of poor Hunchie lying white and moaning in the bed rose in Betty’s memory.  She could not return and report that it was impossible for her to reach the doctor’s office.  Afraid as she was of the crossed wires, she was more afraid of showing the white feather.

If Bob Henderson were here in her situation Betty was sure he would not back down.  And if Bob could overcome difficulties, why couldn’t Betty?  The thought inspired the girl to do as Bob would do—­come through.

“I must do it!” Betty choked, holding the mare firmly headed toward the writhing, crackling wires.  “Ida!  Get up!  You can jump it.  You—­just—­must!”

The black mare crouched and snorted.  Betty would have given a good deal for tiny spurs in the heels of her shoes or for a whip to lay along the mare’s flank.  Spirited as the creature was, and well trained, too, her fear of fire made her shrink from the leap.

There was a width of six feet of darting flames.  The electricity in the heavy cables was melting the other wires, and from the broken end of each wire the blue light spurted.  The snow was melting all about, turning black and yellow in streaks.  Betty did not know how long this would keep up; but every minute she delayed poor Hunchie paid for in continued suffering.

“We must do it!” she shrieked to the horse.  “You’ve got to—­there!”

She whipped off her velvet hat and struck Ida Bellethorne again and again.  The mare crouched, measured the distance, and leaped into the air.  Well for her and for Betty that Ida Bellethorne had a good pedigree; had come of a long line of forebears that had been taught to jump hedges, fences, water-holes and bogs.  None of them had ever made such a perilous leap as this!

The mare landed in softening snow, for the scathing flames were melting the drifts on either side.  Betty had felt the rush of heat rising from the cables and had put her hat over her face.

Ida Bellethorne squealed.  Without doubt she had been scorched somewhere.  And now secure on her feet she darted away through the ravine, running faster than she had run while Betty had bestrode her.

Betty could not glance back at the sputtering wires.  She must keep her gaze fixed ahead.  Although at the speed the mare was now running it is quite doubtful if the girl could have retarded her mount in any degree.  They came to the forks that Mrs. Candace had told her of, and Betty managed to turn the frightened mare up the steeper road to the left.  There were few landmarks that the snow had not hidden; but the way to Dr. Pevy’s was so direct that one could scarcely mistake it.