etched
themselves to the task, and still they flew, and still Amanda strove
to recover her voice; till as the dumb, in some moment of mortal
terror, are said to have found speech, she, with accents, that,
bursting through the thick veil, rung amidst the night, shrieked
out the name of Claude Montigny. A low, chuckling laugh arose around
her, followed by a curse, and a hoarse threat of violence from the
figure that rode on the crupper, who at the same time again dug
spurs into the flanks of the courser, that once more, with its
huge, responding bound nearly dismounted its riders; and prompted
as it seemed by fear of a rescue, the rate accelerated till the
troop was scouring over the ground with the flight of a tempest.
Confused with terror, and alarmed at the threats of her powerful
keeper, she remained silent, unable to divine in what direction
they were hurrying; but felt that her captor and custodian kept
looking behind, as if afraid of some one in pursuit; and the killing
pace appeared to rise yet higher, and the animals to quiver in
quick bounds like mortal throes, as the spurs were plied up to the
rowels, and the creatures seemed to swallow the ground, until again
over all burst, as might the shriek of an imprisoned gnome, from
beneath her envelopement, the cry of Amanda calling upon the name
of Claude Montigny.

"Forward! faster, yet faster!" cried a voice in rage and apprehension;
and with renewed application of whip and spur, the party tore along
the road, shaking it as the prairie is shaken when it is swept over
by a herd of buffaloes.

[Illustration: "The party tore along the road, shaking it as the
prairie shakes when it is swept over by a herd of buffaloes."]

"Claude, Claude!" she again shrieked, and now in addition to the
thick cowl, a huge hand was placed upon her mouth, a threat of
instant death came from the terrible voice behind her, the grip
tightened round her form, and, making her darkness yet darker, at
that moment the clouds, that had been lately gathering, covered
the moon. Soon the way divided before them. To the left it meandered
half hidden with trees, to the right it loomed straight and open,
leading to Montreal, and the motion of the horses, now abreast and
flinging foam from their bits, seemed like the tossing of the
boiling rapids, and amidst the thunder of the hoofs the hoarse
voice of him who rode behind her, hissing with earnestness and fear
like an excited Python, exclaimed:

"B