She disengaged herself, apologized for her clumsiness.
"You didn't hurt yourself, any ?" said he anxiously.
"No," she said.

"But I'm blind--_I'm blind_! Oh, don't you know ?" He said nothing.

How could she know that her words brought to Sim Gage not regret, but--relief! He steadied her foot so that it might find the hub of the wheel, steadied her arm, cared for her as she clambered into the seat.
"All right," she heard him say, not to her; and then he replaced the other man on the high seat.

The horses plunged forward.

She felt herself helpless, alone, swept away.