"
"Oh," I answered, with the brag that a man likes to use when a helpless
woman throws herself on his resources, "I'll find some way if I make up
my mind I don't want to fight them."
"You mustn't think of that," said she. "You are too smart to be so
foolish. See how well you answered the questions of that man and woman."
"And I didn't lie, either," said I, after getting under way again.
"Wouldn't you lie," said she, "for me?"
It was, I suppose, only a little womanly probe into character; but it
thrilled me in a way the poor girl could not have supposed possible.
"I would do anything for you," said I boldly; "but I'd a lot rather
fight than lie."
3
The cloud-burst had flooded the swales, and across the hollows ran broad
sheets of racing water. I had crossed two or three of these, wondering
whether I should be able to ford the next real watercourse, when we came
to a broad bottom down the middle of which ran a swift shallow stream
which rose over the young grass. For a few rods the road ran directly
down this casual river of flood water, and as I looked back it all at
once came into my mind that I might follow this flood and leave no
track; so instead of swinging back into the road I took instantly the
important resolution to leave the Ridge Road. By voice and whip I turned
my cattle down the stream to the south, and for a mile I drove in water
half-hub deep.
Looking back I saw that I left no trace except where two lines of open
water showed through the grass on the high spots where cattle and wheels
had passed, and I knew that in an hour the flood would run itself off
and wipe out even this trace.
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