short stretch. He can't hold out long, but while he does he goes; and
I want to get a good start. I want to strike the New Salem road as
soon as I can."

Madelon had a growing fear lest Eugene might have freed himself, and
might ride the roan across by a shorter cut, and so intercept her at
the turn into the New Salem road. He might easily suspect her of
attempting to see Burr again. If she passed the turn first she could
probably escape him if her horse held out; and, indeed, he might not
think she had gone that way if he did not see her.

Dorothy held fast to the side of the sleigh, which seemed to rise
from the track as they sped on. "Don't be frightened," Madelon said
again. "This is the only horse in town that can beat my father's on a
short stretch, and I don't know that he can always, but I don't think
he has been used, and father's was ridden hard yesterday. I can
manage this one in harness better than I can father's. Don't be
frightened." But Dorothy's face grew pale as the swan's-down around
it, and her great blue eyes were fixed fearfully upon the bounding
heels and flanks of the old white race-horse.

Madelon strained her eyes ahead as they neared the turn of the New
Salem road. There was nobody in sight. Then she glanced across the
fields at the right. Suddenly she swung out the reins over the back
of the old white, and hallooed, and stood up in the sleigh.

Dorothy screamed faintly. "Sit still and hold on!" Madelon shouted.
Dorothy shut her eyes. It seemed to her she was being hurled through
space. Her slender body swung to and fro against the sleigh as she
clung frantically to it.