"Well done!" he cried, "another time I wish you'd come
to me like that!"
"Let us run," she said, ignoring his remark, but without
show of resentment. "Here is Jacques waiting for us with
his sleigh."
And then a tragic thing occurred. The mighty waters of
the Saskatchewan had been gathering force beneath the
ice, and, pressing the great flooring upwards, at length
gained such irresistible power that the whole ice-field
shivered, and was broken up into gigantic slabs, until
it resembled a vast mosaic. The horse attached to Jacques'
sleigh was shot into a great rent, from which it was
impossible to extricate it. They dared not stay a moment
longer if they wished to escape with their lives.
Then far five minutes they held their lives in their
hands, but they proceeded cautiously and surely, jumping
from berg to berg, the man encouraging the woman to fresh
endeavour, until at last they gained the southern bank.
Had they slipped or overbalanced themselves it would have
been good-bye to this world. Pasmore and Douglas had to
assist Dorothy up the steep banks, so great had been the
strain and so great was the reaction. Nor was it to be
wondered at, for it would have tried the nerves of most
men. They turned when they had reached a point of vantage
and looked around. An awe-inspiring but magnificent sight
met their gaze.
Coming down the river like a great tidal wave they could
see a chaotic front of blue water and glistening bergs
advancing swiftly and surely.
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