The Master of the Ceremonies Part 78

"Well, how long?" cried the Colonel.

"Long? Well a good bit ago, sir."

"Yes, yes, but what do you mean by a good bit?"

"Mebbe two hours--mebbe hour and a half. I've been asleep since."

"Come along," cried the Colonel, who was as excited now as his companions. "There's nothing more to be got from this lout."

They left the man leaning on the gate, having gained nothing whatever by the colloquy but a short breathing s.p.a.ce for their horses, and these continued their gallop the moment they were through.

They pa.s.sed a side road now and then, and at the first Linnell turned in his saddle.

"Is it likely that they will leave the main road?" he said.

"No," was the prompt answer given by Bell, without waiting for the Colonel to speak. "They're going west--far enough, I dare say--and they must change their horses now and then. We shall hear of them at Cheldon."

Bell was right, for, when, at the end of another quarter of an hour, they cantered into the little post town, there was a light still burning in a lantern in the inn yard, and an ostler proved to be a little more communicative.

Yes, a post-chaise--a yellow one--came in half an hour ago, and changed horses and went on. Their horses were all in a muck sweat, and here was one of the boys.

A postboy came out of the tap, and stood staring.

He knew nothing, he said, only that he and his mate had brought a party from Saltinville.

"A lady and gentleman?" said Linnell sharply.

"I d'know," said the postboy. "I didn't ride the wheeler; I was on one of the leaders."

"But you must have seen?" cried Linnell angrily.

"No; I didn't see nothing. I'd enough to do to look after my horses.

Bad road and precious hilly 'bout here, sir."

"Come along," cried Linnell angrily.

"Walk your horses for a few minutes," said Mellersh quietly; and as Linnell and Bell went on he dismounted and thrust his hand into his pocket. "Just tighten these girths for me a little, will you, my man?"

he said, turning to the postboy, and slipping a guinea into his hand.

"Cert'ny, sir. Get a bit slack they do after a few miles canter.

Steady, my lad. Nice horse, sir, that he is," continued the postboy, who was smooth civility itself. "Must be a pleasure to ride him."

"Yes," said Mellersh, as the man went on talking and buckling with his head supporting the saddle-flap. "You don't get such a nag as that for a leader, eh?"

"No, sir, not likely. Fifteen pounders is about our cut. That one's worth a hundred. All of a sweat he is, and yet not a bit blown. You've come fast, sir."

"Yes; at a good rattling gallop nearly all the ten miles."

"'Leven, sir, a good 'leven, and a bad road."

"Is it, though?" said Mellersh quietly, as he prepared to mount again.

"All that, sir."

"Postboys' miles, eh?"

"No, sir; honest miles. We'd charge twelve. Wouldn't you like them stirrups shortened two or three holes?" said the man eagerly.

"No, thanks; no. I'm an old soldier, and we always ride with a long stirrup. Matter of use. Shall we catch them, do you think?"

"What, with them horses, sir? Yes, easy. They've got a shocking bad team. They never have a decent change here. Lookye here, sir. You put on a decent canter, and you'll be up to them before they get to Drumley.

The road's awful for wheels for about six miles; but when you get about a mile on from here, you can turn off the road on the off-side, and there's five miles of good, close turf for you where a chaise couldn't go, but there's plenty of room for a horse. Good-night, sir; thankye, sir. Good luck to you."

Mellersh said "good-night" and cantered off after his companions, his steed needing no urging to join its fellows.

"Anyone would think that a guinea dissolved into golden oil and made a man's temper and his tongue run easily. I can't prove it, but I should not be surprised if that was one of Rockley's own guineas. Odd.

Running him down with his own horses, and his own coin. Well, he deserves it all."

"We're on the track right enough, d.i.c.k," he cried, as he overtook Linnell; Bell, in his impatience, being a couple of hundred yards ahead.

"Are you sure? I don't understand this fellow. Why should he be so eager to overtake that scoundrel?"

"Can't say. Puzzled me," replied Mellersh drily.

"Is he leading us wrong?"

"No. We are well on our way, and shall overtake them by the time they reach the next posting house. Forward."

Mellersh did not feel quite sure, but his confidence increased as he found the postboy's words correct about the badness of the road, and the smooth turf at the side, on to which they turned, and cantered along easily for mile after mile.

Every now and then Bell burst forth with some fierce expletive, as if he could not contain his rage; and they gathered that at times it was against himself, at others against Rockley. As fierce a rage, too, burned in Linnell's breast, compounded of bitter hatred, jealousy, and misery.

He could not talk to Mellersh, many of whose remarks fell upon unheeding ears, while Linnell asked himself why he was doing all this to save from misery and shame a woman who did not deserve his sympathy.

But, when he reasoned thus, it seemed as if Claire's pure, sad face looked up into his reproachfully, and the thoughts her gentle loving eyes engendered made him press his horse's flanks, and send him along faster as he said to himself:

"It is a mystery. I cannot understand it; and were she everything that is bad, I should be compelled to fight for her and try to save her to the end."

Mile after mile was pa.s.sed, and though the dull thudding of their horses' hoofs upon the soft turf gave them opportunities for hearing the rattle of wheels and the trampling on the rough road, no sound greeted their ears.

"We shall never catch them, gentlemen, like this," cried Bell at last.

"Curse the horses! Push on. If we kill the poor brutes we must overtake that chaise."

"Forward then," said Mellersh eagerly, for there was that in the young man's voice that cleared away the last shadow of doubt and suspicion.

They had been on the gra.s.s waste beside the road for quite five miles when, all at once, the way seemed to narrow; and they were about to turn on to the road, but Linnell drew rein suddenly.

"Stop!" he cried. "Listen!"