Jamieson says his fiddle string may
have slipped a little! And you?"
"Oh, perfectly well," she answered. "I even think I may be
happy--you know, I must start my French and English classes before
long."
Silent now in part as to matters present, wholly silent as to
matters past, these two went on into the night, neither loosing the
tight rein on self. Swaying and jolting its way upward and outward
into the wilder country, the coach at last had so far plunged into
the night that they were almost within touch of the valley in which
lay the Dunwody lands. Eleazar, the trapper, rode on the box with
the negro driver who had been impressed into service. It was the
old trapper who at length called for a halt.
"Listen!" said he. "What is that?"
Dunwody heard him, and as the coach pulled up, thrust his head out
of the window. The sound was repeated.
"I hear it!" cried he. "Rifle firing! I'm afraid we're going to
be too late. Drive on, there, fast!"
Finally they reached the point in the road just below the shut-in,
where the hills fell back in the approach to the little circular
valley.
Pages:
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461