"
Marshfield paused for a moment and sent his pale smile round upon his
listeners, who now showed no signs of sleepiness; he knocked the ash from
his cigar, twisted the latter round in his mouth, and added dryly:
"And I confess it seemed to me a little strong even for a baron in the
Carpathians. The travelers were our quarry. But the reason why the Lord of
Yany had turned man-hunter I was yet to learn. Just then I had to direct
my energies to frustrating his plans. I used my spurs mercilessly. While I
drew up even with him I saw the two figures in the sleigh change places;
he who had hitherto driven now faced back, while his companion took the
reins, there was the pale blue sheen of a revolver barrel under the
moonlight, followed by a yellow flash, and the nearest hound rolled over
in the snow.
"With an oath the baron twisted round in his saddle to call up and urge on
the remainder. My horse had taken fright at the report and dashed
irresistibly forward, bringing me at once almost level with the fugitives,
and the next instant the revolver was turned menacingly toward me. There
was no time to explain; my pistol was already drawn, and as another of the
brutes bounded up, almost under my horse's feet, I loosed it upon him. I
must have let off both barrels at once, for the weapon flew out of my
hand, but the hound's back was broken.
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