new not, the danger, and I caught her ever
whispered cry,--"On, Dolcy, on; on, Dolcy, on." Ashamed to fall behind,
yet fearing to ride at such a pace on such a path, I urged my horse
forward. He was a fine, strong, mettlesome brute, and I succeeded in
keeping the girl's dim form in sight. The moon, which was rapidly sinking
westward, still gave us light through rifts in the black bank of floating
clouds, else that ride over the sheep path by the cliff would have been
our last journey in the flesh.

Soon we reached the main road turning southward. It was a series of rough
rocks and mudholes, and Dorothy and Dolcy shot forward upon it with the
speed of the tempest, to undo, if possible, the evil which a dozen words,
untimely spoken, had wrought. I urged my horse until his head was close by
Dolcy's tail, and ever and anon could I hear the whispered cry,--"On,
Dolcy, on; on, Dolcy, sweet Dolcy, good Dolcy; on, my pet, on."

No word was spoken between Dorothy and me; but I could hear Dolcy panting
with her mighty effort, and amid the noise of splashing water and the
thud, thud, thud of our horses' hoofs came always back to me from
Dorothy's lips the sad, sad cry, full of agony and longing,--"On, Dolcy,
on; on Dolcy, on."

The road we took led us over steep hills and down through dark,
shadow-crowded ravines; but up hill, down hill, and on the level the
terrible girl before me plunged forward with unabated headlong fury until
I thought surely the flesh of horse, man, and woman could endure the
strain not one moment longer. But the horses, the woman, and--though I say
it who should not--the man were of God's best handiwork, and the cords of
our lives did not snap. One thought, and only one, held possession of the
girl, and the matter of her own life or death had no place in her mind.

When we reached the cross-road where I was to leave her, we halted while I
instructed Dorothy concerning the road she should follow from that point
to Rutland, and directed her how to proceed when she should arrive at the
castle gate. She eagerly listened for a moment or two, then grew
impatient, and told me to hasten in my speech, since there was no time to
lose. Then she fearlessly dashed away alone into the black night; and as I
watched her fair form fade into the shadows, the haunting cry came faintly
back to me,--"On, Dolcy, on; on, Dolcy on," and I was sick at heart. I was
loath to leave her thus in the inky gloom. The moon had sunk for t