“Now ye’ve come to your senses,” said the man.  “Give me the bundle and your hand,” he continued, and set out at a rapid pace across the lawn, having almost to drag the girl, her feet carried her so unwillingly.  “Over with ye,” he ordered, as they reached the stile at the corner, and when Janice descended she found two horses hitched to the fence and felt a little comforted by the mere presence of Daisy.  She was quickly mounted, and they set off, the girl so helpless in her fright that Evatt had to hold her horse’s bridle as well as his own.

“Burn it!” exclaimed Evatt, presently, “art never going to end thy weeping?”

“If you would only have waited till—­” sobbed Janice.

“’T was no time for shilly-shallying,” interrupted the man.  “Dost not see that we had to take to-night, when the groom was gone, for there ’d have been no getting the horses with him sleeping in the stable?”

“What if we meet him returning?” cried the girl, her voice shaking.

“’T would little matter.  Think ye he could catch us afoot?”

“But he could tell dadda.”

“And by that time we shall be two-thirds of the way to Amboy.  ’T is but a twenty miles, and we should be there by three.  Then if we meet no delay in getting a boat, we shall be on the ‘Asia’ near seven.  By eight the chaplain will have made us twain one.”

“Oh!” moaned the girl, “what ever will dadda say?”

As this was a question no one could answer, a silence ensued, which lasted until they rode into Brunswick.  Guiding the horses upon the green, to reduce the beat of their hoofs to a minimum, Evatt turned off the grass at the river road and headed toward the bridge across the Raritan.  As they approached, a noise of some kind arrested Evatt’s attention, and he was just checking the horses when a voice cried:—­

“Stand!”

Janice gave a startled cry which instantly set a dog barking.

“Keep silence!” again ordered the unseen man.

Evatt, after an oath below his breath, demanded, “By what right do ye stop us, whoever ye are?”

“By the right of powder and ball,” remarked the voice, drily.

Again the dog barked, and both Evatt and the unseen man swore.  “Curse the beast!” said the latter.  “Hist, Charles!  Call the dog, or he’ll wake the town.”

Another voice from a little distance called, “Clarion!” in a guarded inflection; meantime the hound had discovered his mistress, and was jumping about her horse, giving little yelps of pleasure.

In another instant Charles came running up.  “What’s wrong?” he questioned.

“’T is a couple of riders I’ve halted,” said the voice from the shadow.

“Out of the way!” ordered Evatt.  “Ye’ve no right to prevent us from going forward.  I’ve pistols in my holsters, and ye’d best be careful how ye take the law into your own hands.”

The groom gave an exclamation as he recognised the riders; and paying no attention to Evatt, he sprang to the side of the girl and rested his hand on the bridle, as if to prevent her horse from moving, while he asked in amazement:  “What brings you here?”