sight.

A hideous check came to the race. White Fell swirled about and
leapt to the right, and Christian, unprepared for so prompt a
lurch, found close at his feet a deep pit yawning, and his own
impetus past control. But he snatched at her as he bore past,
clasping her right arm with his one whole hand, and the two swung
together upon the brink.

And her straining away in self preservation was vigorous enough to
counter-balance his headlong impulse, and brought them reeling
together to safety.

Then, before he was verily sure that they were not to perish so,
crashing down, he saw her gnashing in wild pale fury as she
wrenched to be free; and since her right hand was in his grasp,
used her axe left-handed, striking back at him.

The blow was effectual enough even so; his right arm dropped
powerless, gashed, and with the lesser bone broken, that jarred
with horrid pain when he let it swing as he leaped out again, and
ran to recover the few feet she had gained from his pause at the
shock.

The near escape and this new quick pain made again every faculty
alive and intense. He knew that what he followed was most surely
Death animate: wounded and helpless, he was utterly at her mercy
if so she should realise and take action. Hopeless to avenge,
hopeless to save, his very despair for Sweyn swept him on to
follow, and follow, and precede the kiss-doomed to death. Could he