Her dusky hair was hanging rather more loosely than
usual, shaken out of its general smoothness by her hot face. The pale
face was all aglow with pleasure, and her large eyes looked radiant with
delight at the thoughts of the pleasure that little Jean's success, as
well as her own, would give to Geordie. The boy stood with his flaxen
hair all gilded by the sun, looking at her with a glad light in his blue
eyes. For a moment only, and then, with a look of terror, he glanced in
the opposite direction, remembering that this was dangerous ground.
Blackie had been roused from his sleepy grazing by little Jean's cry of
delight, and, looking up, his evil eye caught sight of Elsie, with her
bright colours, made more dazzling by the sunset tints. With a toss of
his head, and a few wild plunges, the brute, with his head near to the
ground, and his eyes fixed on his prey, made his way towards her.
Geordie shouted, "Back, Elsie; back on the stepping-stones!" but it was
too late.
Elsie lost her presence of mind, and wavered backward and forward for a
moment, till it was impossible to save herself by taking refuge on the
other side of the stream, where Blackie, not knowing the advantage of
stepping-stones, would probably not have troubled himself to follow her.
In an instant Geordie had flung himself between the roused animal and
Elsie. His stick still lay on the hillock, where he had been resting, so
he had no weapon of defence, and Blackie, in his rage, would not spare
the faithful lad, who had spent so many lonely hours by his side.
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