was possible to see a great distance. And far off, beyond the
white waste of snow, I could see the river lying like a black ribbon
in kinks and curls as it wound its way. Straight in front of us and
not far off, in fact so near that I wondered we had not noticed
before, came a group of mounted men hurrying along. In the midst of
them was a cart, a long leiter wagon which swept from side to side,
like a dog's tail wagging, with each stern inequality of the road.
Outlined against the snow as they were, I could see from the men's
clothes that they were peasants or gypsies of some kind.

On the cart was a great square chest. My heart leaped as I saw it, for
I felt that the end was coming. The evening was now drawing close,
and well I knew that at sunset the Thing, which was till then
imprisoned there, would take new freedom and could in any of many
forms elude pursuit. In fear I turned to the Professor. To my
consternation, however, he was not there. An instant later, I saw him
below me. Round the rock he had drawn a circle, such as we had found
shelter in last night.

When he had completed it he stood beside me again saying, "At least
you shall be safe here from him!" He took the glasses from me, and at
the next lull of the snow swept the whole space below us. "See," he
said, "they come quickly. They are flogging the horses, and galloping
as hard as they can."

He paused and went on in a hollow voice, "They are racing for the
sunset. We may be too late. God's will be done!" Down came another
blinding rush of driving snow, and the whole landscape was blotted
out. It soon passed, however, and once more his glasses were fixed on
the plain.

Then came a sudden cry, "Look! Look! Look! See, two horsemen follow
fast, coming up from the south. It must be Quincey and John. Take
the glass. Look before the snow blots it all out!" I took it and
looked. The two men might be Dr. Seward and Mr. Morris. I knew at
all events that neither of them was Jonathan. At the same time I knew
that Jonathan was not far off. Looking around I saw on the north side
of the coming party two other men, riding at breakneck speed. One of
them I knew was Jonathan, and the other I took, of course, to be Lord
Godalming. They too, were pursuing the party with the cart. When I
told the Professor he shouted in glee like a schoolboy, and after
looking intently till a snow fall made sight impossible, he laid his
Winchester rifle re