He wrapped the thing loosely in the kerchief—­which he calculated would catch the passing eye more easily than the box—­and knotted the ends together.  But when he went to push the package under the door, it proved too bulky; and, with an exclamation of rage, he untied it, and made it up anew and more tightly.  At last he thought that he had got it right, and he stooped to feel for the crack; but the carriage, which had been travelling more and more heavily and slowly, came to a sudden standstill, and in a panic he sat up, dropping the box and thrusting the straw over it with his foot.

He had scarcely done this when the door was opened, and the masked man, who had threatened them before, thrust in his head.  ‘Come out!’ he said curtly, addressing the tutor, who was the nearer.  ’And be sharp about it!’

But Mr. Thomasson’s eyes, peering through the doorway, sought in vain the least sign of house or village.  Beyond the yellow glare cast by the lamp on the wet road, he saw nothing but darkness, night, and the gloomy shapes of trees; and he hung back.  ‘No,’ he said, his voice quavering with fear.  ‘I—­my good man, if you will promise—­’

The man swore a frightful oath.  ‘None of your tongue!’ he cried, ’but out with you unless you want your throat cut.  You cursed, whining, psalm-singing sniveller, you don’t know when you are well off’!  Out with you!’

Mr. Thomasson waited for no more, but stumbled out, shaking with fright.

‘And you!’ the ruffian continued, addressing the girl, ’unless you want to be thrown out the same way you were thrown in!  The sooner I see your back, my sulky Madam, the better I shall be pleased.  No more meddling with petticoats for me!  This comes of working with fine gentlemen, say I!’

Julia was but half roused.  ‘Am.  I—­to get out?’ she said dully.

‘Ay you are!  By G—­d, you are a cool one!’ the man continued, watching her in a kind of admiration, as she rose and stepped by him like one in a dream.  ’And a pretty one for all your temper!  The master is not here, but the man is; and if—­’

‘Stow it, you fool!’ cried a voice from the darkness, ‘and get aboard!’

‘Who said anything else?’ the ruffian retorted, but with a look that, had Julia been more sensible of it, must have chilled her blood.  ’Who said anything else?  So there you are, both of you, and none the worse, I’ll take my davy!  Lash away, Tim!  Make the beggars fly!’

As he uttered the last words he sprang on the wheel, and before the tutor could believe his good fortune, or feel assured that there was not some cruel deceit playing on him, the carriage splashed up the mud, and rattled away.  In a trice the lights grew small and were gone, and the two were left standing side by side in the darkness.  On one hand a mass of trees rose high above them, blotting out the grey sky; on the other the faint outline of a low wall appeared to divide the lane in which they stood—­the mud rising rapidly about their shoes—­from a flat aguish expanse over which the night hung low.