Amidst a dead silence Buck suddenly straightened up, with the dripping figure clasped tightly in his strong arms. A great pity shone in his eyes as he gazed down into the fair young face. It was the first time in all his life he had held a woman in his arms, and the sensation of it made him forget those others about him.
Suddenly Ike's voice aroused him.
"By Gar!" he cried. "Jest look at that red ha'r. Say, easy, boys, we're treadin' it around in the mud."
It was true. The great masses of the girl's red-gold hair had fallen loose and were trailing in the water as Buck held her. It reached from the man's shoulder, where her head was pillowed, and the heavy-footed men were trampling the ends of it into the mud. Ike stooped and rescued the sodden mass, and laid it gently across Buck's shoulders.
For a moment the sun shone down upon the wondering group. The clouds had broken completely, and were scattering in every direction as though eager to escape observation after their recent shameful display. No one seemed to think of moving out into the rapidly warming open. They were content to gather about Buck's tall figure and gape down at the beautiful face of the girl lying in his arms.
It was Beasley Melford who first became practical.
"She's alive, anyway," he said. "Sort o' stunned. Mebbe it's the lightnin'."
Pete turned, a withering glance upon his foxy face.
"Lightnin' nuthin'," he cried scornfully. "If she'd bin hit she'd ha' bin black an' dead. Why, she--she ain't even brown. She's white as white." His voice became softer, and he was no longer addressing the ex-Churchman. "Did y' ever see sech skin--so soft an' white? An' that ha'r, my word! I'd gamble a dollar her eyes is blue--ef she'd jest open 'em."
He reached out a great dirty hand to touch the beautiful whiteness of the girl's throat with a caressing movement, but instantly Buck's voice, sharp and commanding, stayed his action.
"Quit that!" he cried. "Ke'p your durned hands to yourself," he added, with a strange hoarseness.
Pete's eyes lit angrily.
"Eh? What's amiss?" he demanded. "Guess I ain't no disease."
Beasley chuckled across at him, and the sound of his mirth infuriated Buck. He understood the laugh and the meaning underlying it.
"Buck turned wet nurse," cried the ex-Churchman, as he beheld the sudden flush on the youngster's face.
"You can ke'p your durned talk," Buck cried. "You Beasley--and the lot of you," he went on recklessly. "She's no ord'nary gal; she's--she's a lady."
Curly and Ike nodded agreement.