Anthony was peering from the window again; I heard him shout, felt the
chaise swing jolting towards the hedge and the horseman was by--a
blurred vision that flashed upon my sight and was gone.
"Missed by inches--dooced reckless, by Gad!" exclaimed Anthony, and I
saw that his frown had vanished.
"What kind of a person was he?" I demanded.
"Muffled up to the ears, Perry, hat over his eyes--big horse--powerful
beast. Going to clear up and be a fine day after all, I fancy."
"And it is nearly five o'clock!" said I, glancing at my watch.
"Hum!" sighed Anthony. "And here you sit as serenely untroubled, as
placidly assured, as if you were the best shot in the world instead of
the worst."
"Listen, Anthony!" I cried suddenly. "Do you hear anything--listen,
man!" A faint throbbing upon the air, a pulsing beat growing louder
and louder. "Do you hear it, Anthony, do you hear it?"
"No--yes--begad, Perry, it sounds like--"
"Another horse at full gallop, Anthony--and coming up behind us.
Another horseman--from the same direction!"
"Dev'lish strange, Perry. How many more of 'em?"
"There will be no more!" I exclaimed bitterly, and then, the chaise
beginning to slow up, I thrust my head from the window to demand why
we were stopping.
"Turnpike, sir!" answered the postboy. And peering through the haze
before us I saw the tollgate, sure enough, and I turned to stare back
down the road towards the second hard-riding horseman, and presently
beheld a vague blur that resolved itself into a rapidly oncoming shape
that swept down upon us through the swirling mist; the flutter of a
long cloak, a spurred boot, a shadowy form bowed low in the
saddle--all this I saw in one brief moment; then rose a hoarse shout
from the eddying mist ahead; the jingle of flung coins and, lifting
his animal at the tollgate, the horseman cleared it at a bound and,
plunging into the haze beyond, had vanished like a phantom.
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