Now put your right hand round my neck while I raise myself a little.

Yes, that way.

Now, hold on tight!" Regina made a steady effort, lifting fully half Aurora's weight with her, as she got first upon one knee and then upon both.
[Illustration: "REGINA MADE A STEADY EFFORT, LIFTING FULLY HALF AURORA'S WEIGHT WITH HER."] "There! Take breath and then scramble over the edge," she said.
A few seconds, another effort, and Aurora sank exhausted beside Regina, half sitting, half lying, and resting on one hand.
She looked up sideways at the dark woman's face; for Regina stood upright, gazing down into the valley.

Aurora turned her eyes away, and then looked up again; she had recovered her breath now.
"Thank you," she said, with an effort.
"It is nothing," Regina answered in an indifferent tone, and without so much as moving her head; she was no more out of breath than if she had been sitting still.
The fair girl hated her at that moment as she had never hated any one in her short life, nor had ever dreamed of hating.

The flush of anger rose again and again to her forehead, to the very roots of her auburn hair, and lingered a second and sank again.