he spoke) he would blow his brains
~457~~ out. Wilford, taking no notice of the threat, again shouted to
the postilions to stop, and was about to ride forward to compel their
obedience, when Cumberland, after hesitating for a moment, suddenly
changed the direction of the pistol, and aiming at the horse instead of
the rider, fired.

[Illustration: page457 The Retribution]

Simultaneously with the report, the mare plunged madly forward, reared
up till she stood almost erect, pawed the air wildly with her fore-feet,
and then dropped heavily backwards, bearing her rider with her, and
crushing him as she fell. The ball had entered behind the ear, and
passing in an oblique direction through the brain, had produced instant
death. Without waiting to ascertain the effect of his shot, Cumberland
again compelled the postboys to proceed, and by the time the groom
reached the scene of action the carriage was rapidly getting out of
sight. The servant being unable to extricate his master from the fallen
horse, was about to ride off for assistance, when some labourers,
attracted by the report of the pistol, had come up, and by their united
efforts had succeeded in freeing the sufferer, but only, as it seemed,
to die from the serious nature of the injuries he had sustained.

"Umph! eh!--the man's a dead man, or next door to it," exclaimed
Mr. Frampton, who had joined me while the groom was giving the above
recital. "Nevertheless, we must do what we can for him, scoundrel as he
is. How's a doctor to be obtained. Umph?"

"Where does the nearest surgeon live?" asked I.

"There ain't none nearer than M----" was the reply, naming the town
through which we had passed.

"I must leave you to settle this matter," continued I; "too much time
has already been lost for me to attempt to overtake Cumberland with
the carriage; I must follow them on horseback. Take off the leaders and
shift the saddle on to the led horse; he seems the freshest."

"Umph! go and get shot, like the wretched man here," put in Mr.
Frampton. "You shan't do it, Frank."

"With his fate before me, I will be careful, sir," replied I; "but think
of Clara in the power of that villain! Your niece must be rescued at all
hazards; still, even for her sake, I will be cautious.--Is that horse
ready?"

"If you please, sir," said one of the postilions, a quick, intelligent
lad, who, while we were speaking, had removed the saddle from the dead
mare to the back of the off leader