smoking horses, and had the satisfaction
of learning that a carriage, answering to old Peter's description of the
one we were in pursuit of, had changed horses there about twenty minutes
before our arrival, and that a gentleman and his groom had since been
observed to ride at speed through the town, and to follow the course
taken by the carriage without drawing bridle. Whilst making these
inquiries, four stout posters had been attached to our vehicle, and we
again dashed forward. Another half-hour of maddening suspense followed,
although the postboys, stimulated by the promise of reward, exerted
themselves to the utmost, till the carriage swung from side to side
with a degree of violence which rendered an overturn by no means an
improbable contingency. No signs of the fugitives were to be discerned,
and I was beginning to speculate on the possibility of their having
again attempted to deceive us by turning off from the high road, when an
exclamation from Peter Barnett (who, from his exalted station, was able
to command a more extended view than ourselves) attracted my attention.
We were at the moment descending a hill, which from its steepness
obliged the postilions to proceed at a more moderate pace. Thrusting my
head and shoulders out of one of the front windows, and raising myself
by my hands, I contrived to obtain a view of the scene which had called
forth Peter's ejaculation. Rather beyond the foot of the hill, where
the ground again began to ascend, a group of persons, apparently farming
labourers, were gathered round some object by the wayside, while almost
in the centre of the road lay a large dark mass, which, as I came
nearer, I perceived to be the dead carcase of a horse; another horse,
snorting with terror at the sight of its fallen companion, was with
difficulty prevented from breaking away by a groom, who, from his dark
and well-appointed livery, I immediately recognised as a servant of
Wilford's.

With a sensation of horror, such as I do not remember ever before to
have experienced, I shouted to the postboys to stop, and, springing out,
hastened to join the crowd collected by the roadside. They made way for
me as I approached, thereby enabling me to perceive the object of their
solicitude. Stretched at full length upon the grass, and perfectly
motionless, lay the form of Wilford; his usually pale features wore the
livid hue of death, and his ~456~~ long black hair was soaked and matted
with blood, which