Mr. Barker would take to his station. Had it
been a neighbour who had come over, he would not be likely to leave
again, so early. Neither of the constables would be riding away, in
defiance of his orders on no account to stir any distance from the
house.

Presently he caught a glimpse of the horseman. He was not more than
half a mile away now, but the view he obtained was so instantaneous
that he could not distinguish any particulars.

"He is riding fast, anyhow," he said. "Faster than a man would
travel, on ordinary business. He is either a messenger, sent on
urgent business; or it is Thorne."

He slightly altered the direction of his course, for the speed at
which the horseman was travelling must take him ahead of him, at
the point where Reuben had calculated upon cutting him off. In a
short distance he would get a view of him; for the trees ended
here, and the plain was open and unbroken, save by low bush.

When the figure came clear of the trees, he was but a quarter of a
mile away; and Reuben gave a start, for he recognized at once the
uniform of his own corps. It could only be one of the men left at
Donald's and, with an exclamation of anger, Reuben pressed his
horse to the utmost in pursuit of the man, who was now almost
directly ahead, at the same time uttering a loud call.

The man glanced back but, to Reuben's surprise, instead of stopping
waved his hand above his head, and pressed forward. Two miles were
traversed before Reuben was beside him.

"What do you mean, sir?" he thundered out.

But the man pointed ahead.

"He has carried off Miss Ellison, sir, and has shot Brown dead. I
will tell you, afterwards.

"There, do you see, sir, over that brow there?"

At the moment, Reuben saw a figure on horseback rise against the
skyline, fully two miles in front.

"Ride steadily, Smithson," he said. "Keep me in view, and I will
keep him. We must overtake him in time, for his horse is carrying
double. I shall push on, for I am better mounted than you are; and
he may try to double, and throw us off his traces. If anything
happens to me don't stop for a moment, but hunt that fellow down to
the end."

Reuben had been holding his horse somewhat in hand, during the last
mile, for he thought there must be some reason for the constable's
strange conduct; but he now let him go and, urging him to his full
speed, soon left the constable behind. He knew that, for some
distance ahead, the country was flat and unbr