“We shall run into that buggy!” screamed the fair Belle.  “Oh, Mr. Gussing, be careful!”

A moment later the two turnouts came together with a crash, and one wheel was torn from the buggy and the town lawyer pitched out headlong to the ground.  Then on went the carriage with the dude and the two young ladies, at a faster pace than ever.

“Let me jump out!” screamed one of the ladies.

“No, not yet!  You’ll be killed, Grace,” answered Belle.

“Then stop the carriage!”

Alas, the poor Felix was already doing his best to stop the horse.  But his jerkings on the reins only added to the horse’s wildness.

Not far along the road was a good sized brook, spanned by a neat wooden bridge.  As the carriage neared the bridge, Felix pulled on the wrong rein once again.  The horse turned from the road proper, and descended full speed into the stream itself.

“Oh, now we’ll be drowned!” shrieked Grace.

But she was mistaken.  The stream was easily fordable, so there was no danger on that score.  But the rate at which they were impelled through the water naturally created no inconsiderable splashing, so that on emerging on the other side the dude, as well as the young ladies, were well drenched.

To the great joy of Felix the contact with the water cooled the ardor of the steed, so that he resumed the journey at a far more moderate rate of speed.

“Wasn’t it just glorious!” cried Belle, who, after the danger seemed past, grew enthusiastic.  “What a noble animal!”

“Glorious?” echoed the dude.  “I don’t care much about such glory.  As for the noble animal—­I—­er—­I wish he was hung!  That’s the best he deserves.”

The dude spoke bitterly, for the spell of terror was still on him.  Had he consulted his own wishes he would have leaped from the carriage and left the ladies to their fate.

But the thought of the bewitching Belle made him keep his seat, and he resolved that if he must die he would do it like a martyr.

The horse went on, and at last they neared the end of the short journey.  But here a new obstacle presented itself.  There was a big fence and a gate, and the gate was tight shut.

As they could not enter the grounds without opening the gate, the dude got down out of the carriage.  He did not hand the reins to either of the ladies but laid them over the dashboard.

The instant the gate was swung open the steed darted forward, and brought up with a jerk against a post that happened to be in the way.  Here he reared and plunged, causing the young ladies to scream “murder” at the top of their voices.

“Oh, my!  Oh, dear me!” bawled Felix, and took refuge behind a neighboring hedge.  “The horse has gone crazy!  He’ll bite somebody next!”

The cries reached some men who were not far off, and they came running to the assistance of the party.  One caught the steed by the bridle and soon had him quieted down.