She
shook her head as he brought it, but he only said "You must;" and then
she drank a mouthful or two. He was just about to drink himself when
he hastily slipped the flask into his pocket, and taking out the
field-glass looked long and earnestly through it. Then he tied a large
white handkerchief to his whip, waved it three times over his head and
looked again through the glass, after which he kept on waving for some
time. Then after a last look he put away the glass, and walked slowly,
leading both horses, to the place where he had left Lady Eleanor. She
was lying back with her face covered with her hands.
"Come," he said gently. "The Corporal has found them and they are safe
and well. I made them repeat the signal twice, so that I am quite
sure, and I have signalled to the search-parties to go home. Let me
put you on your horse."
See looked up like one dazed; but there was Colonel George holding out
his hand to her, so she took it and rose to her feet; and then she
seized the hand between both of hers and wrung it hard without a word.
He lifted her into the saddle, and no sooner was he mounted than she
started to gallop down the hill at a pace which made it hard for
Colonel George to keep up with her. Away she flew, and he felt
thankful that she was a fine horsewoman and mounted on his horse
instead of her own, which was not nearly so clever over rough ground;
though he could not help reflecting that he could never have found it
in his conscience to hustle a horse of hers as she hustled his.
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