The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-06-19
CHApTER ".

NIGHT IN THE WOODS: ALICIA RISINGHAM.
TWAS almost certain that Sir Daniel had
made for the Moat house; but, considering the
heavy snow. the lateneSs of the hour, and the
necessity under which he would lie Of avoid
,Sng the few roads and striding across the wood,
1t was equally certain that he could not hope
to reach it ere the morrow.
There were two courses open to Dick
either to continue to follow in the knights
trail and, if he were able, to fall upon him
shat very night in camp, or to strike out path
of his own and seek to place himself between
Sir Daniel and his destination.
Either scheme was open to serions objection,
and Dick, who feared to expose Joanna to the
Hazards of a fight, had not yet decided between
them when he reached the borders OF the
wood.
AT this point Sir Daniel had turned q little
so his left, and then plunged straight under a
grove of very lofty timber. His party had
chen formed to narrower front, in order to
lpass between the trees, and the track was trod
proportionaly deeper in the snow The eye
Followed it under the leafless tracery of the
oaks, running direct and narrow; the trees
stood over it, with knotty joints and the great,
}uplifted forest of their boughs; there was no
Sound, whether of man or beast-not so much
as the stirring OF a robin; and over the field of
snow the winter sun lay golden among netted
IShadows.
"How say ye," asked Dick of one of the
men, Ito follow straight on, or strike across for
STunstall?"
1Sir Richard" replied the man-at-arms, 'I
would follow the line until they scatter"
aye are, doubtless, right" returned Dick /;
f'but we came right hastily upon the errand,
even as the time commanded Here are no
houses, neither for food nor shelter, and by the
norrow's dawn we shall know both cold fingers
and an empty belly. How say ye, lads? VIII
ye stand pinch for expeditions sake, or shall
we turn by Hollywood and sup with Mother
Church? The case being somewhat doubtful,
II will drive no man; yet if ye would suffer me
TO lead you, We would choose the first"
'. The men answered, almost with one voice,
shat they would follow Sir Richard where he
would.
And Dick, setting spur to his horse, began
once more to go forward.
The snow in the trail had been trodden very
hard, and the pusuers had thus great advan-
deed, at a round trot, two hundred hoofs beat
ing alternately on the dull pavement of the
snow, and the jingle of weapons and the snort
ing of horses raising warIlke noise along the
arches of the silent wood.
Presently, the wide slot of the pursued came
out upon the high road from Hollywood it was
There, for moment indistinguishable; and,
where it once more plunged into the unbeaten
snow upon the farther side, Dick was surprised
to see ii narrower and lighter trod. Plainly,
profiting by the road, Sir Daniel had begun
already to scatter his command.
; At all hazards, one chance being equal to
another, Dick continued to pursue the straight
trail, and that, after an hours riding, in which
1T led into the very depths of the forest, sud-
denly split, like a bursting she'll into two
dozen others, leading to every point of the
compass.
Dick drew bride in despair. The short
winters day was near an end; the sun, dull
red orange, shorn Of rays, swan low among
the leahess thickets; the shadows were mile
long upon the snow; the frost bit cruelty at
The tinger-nails, and the breath and steam Of
che horses mounted in n cloud,
\ "Wen. we are outwitted," Dick confessed.
"Strke we for Hollywood, after all. 1t is still
,nearer US than Tunstall-or should be by the
station Of the SUM-"
; So they wheeled to their left, turning their
backs on the red shield Of sun, and made
across country for the abbey. But now times
were changed with them they could no longer
spank forth briskly on a path beaten firm by
the passage OF their foes and for a goal to
which that path itself conducted them. Now
Sthey must plough at a dull pace through the
remembering snow continually pausing to de-
eide their course, continually floundering in
drifts. The sun soon left them the glow OF
she west decayed; and presently they were
Wandering in q shadow Of blackncss under
frosty Stars.
! Presently, indeed, the moon would clear the
biltops, and they might resume their MARIN.
5ut till then. every random step might carry