ow this does not," calmly took it.

Now here was a dilemma. If in face of this curt response I proceeded to
follow him, my hand was revealed at once; yet the circumstances
would admit of no other course. I determined to compromise matters by
pretending to take the right hand road till he was out of sight, when I
would return and follow him swiftly upon the left. Accordingly I reined
my horse to the right, and for some fifteen minutes galloped slowly
away towards the north; but another fifteen saw me facing the west, and
riding with a force and fury of which I had not thought the old mare
they had given me capable, till I put her to the test. It was not long
before I saw my fine gentleman trotting in front of me up a long but
gentle slope that rose in the distance; and slackening my own rein, I
withdrew into the forest at the side of the road, till he had passed its
summit and disappeared, when I again galloped forward.

And thus we went on for an hour, over the most uneven country I ever
traversed, he always one hill ahead; when suddenly, by what instinct I
cannot determine, I felt myself approaching the end, and hastening to
the top of the ascent up which I was then laboring, looked down into the
shallow valley spread out before me.

What a sight met my eyes if I had been intent on anything less practical
than the movements of the solitary horseman below! Hills on hills piled
about a verdant basin in whose depths nestled a scanty collection of
houses, in number so small they could be told upon the fingers of the
right hand, but which notwithstanding lent an indescribable aspect of
comfort to this remote region of hill and forest.

But the vision of Mr. Blake pausing half way down the slope before me,
examining, yes examining a pistol which he held in his hand, soon put
an end to all ideas of romance. Somewhat alarmed I reined back; but his
action had evidently no connection with me, for he did not once glance
behind him, but kept his eye on the road which I now observed took a
short turn towards a house of so weird and ominous an appearance that I
scarcely marvelled at his precaution.

Situated on a level track of land at the crossing of three roads, its
spacious front, rude and unpainted as it was, presented every appearance
of an inn, but from its moss-grown chimneys no smoke arose, nor could
I detect any sign of life in its shutterless windows and closed doors,
across which shivered the dark shadow of the one ga