She seemed to be plunging into an icy, bottomless abyss.
And then like a dagger, stabbing through every nerve, came fear, a horror unspeakable of the depth she could not see, into which she was being so furiously hurled.

She was clinging to the saddle, but she made a desperate effort to drag the animal round.

It was quite fruitless.

No woman's strength could have availed to check that headlong gallop.

He swerved a little, a very little, in answer, that was all, and galloped madly on.
And then--all in a moment it came, a moment of culminating horror more awful than anything she had ever before experienced--the ground fell suddenly away from the racing feet.