on the fresh horses.

It was indeed a relief, to Reuben's anxiety, to find himself again
flying over the ground at a rapid gallop, after the slow and
tedious pace at which he had travelled since morning. His spirits
rose, and the fears which had oppressed him seemed lifted, as if by
magic. He assured himself that he had no cause for anxiety, for
that the two constables would assuredly be on the watch, and Kate
had promised not to venture beyond the doors of the house until his
return.

Chapter 18: Settling Accounts.

Reuben soon checked the speed of his horse. Anxious as he was to
arrive as soon as possible, he might, for aught he knew, yet have
occasion to try the animal to the utmost; and he therefore reduced
the almost racing pace, at which he had started, into an ordinary
steady gallop. The horses were fresh and in good condition, and for
several miles kept up the pace without flagging. Then they were
allowed to ease down into a walk, until they got their wind again;
and then started at the pace, half canter, half gallop, which is
the usual rate of progression of the colonial horses. They drew
rein at last on a slight eminence, from which the Donalds' station,
a mile or so distant, could be perceived.

"Thank God," Reuben muttered to himself, "I am back here, at last.
There is no occasion for further hurry;" and the horses were
allowed to go at an easy walk.

"Man on horseback," Jim suddenly said, touching Reuben's arm.

"Where--where, Jim?"

"Gone from de house, sah, trough dem trees. Dare he go again, he
gallop fast."

Reuben had not caught sight of the figure, but he pressed his spurs
against the horse's sides.

"I will see who it is, at any rate. Jim, do you ride straight on to
the house, and say I shall be there in a few minutes."

As Reuben rode, at a headlong gallop, towards the point where his
course would probably intersect that of the horseman, riding in the
direction Jim had pointed out, he turned over rapidly, in his mind,
the thought whether his anxiety for Kate Ellison was not making a
fool of him. Why should he turn from his course, just at the end of
a long journey, to start at full speed on the track of this figure,
of which Jim had caught only a glance? It might be a stockman, or
someone who had ridden over from one of the neighbouring stations
to see how Donald was getting on; but even so, he told himself, no
harm was done by his assuring himself of that.

It was not the way