stumble now, and it were better to lie down on the plain and
die. He was in the hands of God, and he felt it. He said one short
prayer, but that towards the end was interrupted by the wild current
of his thoughts. Was there any hope? They, the devils, would have
been drinking at the Mayfords', and perhaps would go slow; or would
they ride fast and wild? After thinking a short time, he feared the
latter. They had tasted blood, and knew that the country would be
roused on them shortly....

Here are a brace of good pistols, and they with care shall give
account, if need be, of two men. After that, nothing. It were
better--so much better--not to live if one were only ten minutes too
late.... Now he was in the forest again, and now as he rode quickly
down the steep sandy road among the bracken, he heard the hoarse
rush of the river in his ears, and knew the end was well-nigh
come.... Now the house was in sight, and now he cried aloud some
wild inarticulate sound of thankfulness and joy. All was as peaceful
as ever, and Alice, unconscious, stood white-robed in the verandah,
feeding her birds.

As he rode up he shouted to her and beckoned. She came running
through the house, and met him breathless at the doorway.

'The bushrangers, Alice, my love!' he said. 'We must fly this
instant; they are close to us now.'

She had been prepared for this. She knew her duty well, for her
father had often told her what to do. No tears! no hysterics! She
took Sam's hand without a word, and, placing her fairy foot upon his
boot, vaulted up into the saddle before him.... They crossed the
river, and dismounting, they led the tired horse up the steep slope
of turf that surrounded a little castellated tor of bluestone....

'I do not see them anywhere, Alice,' said Sam presently. 'I see no
one coming across the plains. They must be either very near us in
the hollow of the river-valley, or else a long way off.'

'There they are!' said Alice. 'Surely there is a large party of
horsemen on the plain, but they are seven or eight miles off.'

'Ay, ten,' said Sam. 'I am not sure that they are horsemen.' Then he
said suddenly in a whisper, 'Lie down, my love, in God's name! Here
they are, close to us!'

There burst on his ear a confused round of talking and laughing, and
out of one of the rocky gullies