In the meantime, Hester, followed by Vavasor, while Saffy ran to her
mother, sped along the bank till she came to the weir, over which hardly
any water was running. When Vavasor saw her turn sharp round and make
for the weir, he would have prevented her, and laid his hand on her arm;
but she turned on him with eyes that flashed, and lips which,
notwithstanding her speed, were white as with the wrath that has no
breath for words. He drew back and dared only follow. The footing was
uncertain, with deep water on one side up to a level with the stones,
and a steep descent to more deep water on the other. In one or two spots
the water ran over, and those spots were slippery. But, rendered
absolutely fearless by her terrible fear, Hester flew across without a
slip, leaving Vavasor some little way behind, for he was neither very
sure-footed nor very sure-headed.
But when they had run along the weir and landed, they were only on the
slip between the lade and the river: the lade was between them and the
other side--deep water therefore between them and the major, where
already he was trying to heave the unconscious form of Mark on to the
bank.
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