conspiracy
had failed and his treachery become known.

For a little distance, therefore, he had crashed through bracken and
undergrowth, heedless of all but the one need that was upon him to flee
away and escape while there was yet time. But, after a while, his first
panic subsiding, he had gone more carefully, and, as the weather had
been very dry of late, when he came to open ground his footmarks were
scarcely visible.

In such spots Rupert could make but slow progress, and he was
handicapped, too, by the fact, that all the time he had to be on his
guard lest from some unsuspected quarter his enemy should come upon him
unawares.

For, indeed, this enterprise he had undertaken in the flood tide of
his passion and fierce anger was dangerous enough since he, quite
weaponless, was following up a very desperate armed man who would know
that for him there could be henceforth no question of mercy.

But there was that burning in Rupert's heart that made him heedless of
all danger, and indeed, he who for mere love of sport and adventure, had
followed a wounded tiger into the jungle and tracked a buffalo through
thick reeds, was not likely to draw back now.

Once he thought he had succeeded, for he saw a bush move and he rushed
at once upon it. But when he reached it there was nothing there, and the
ground about was hard and bare, showing no marks to prove any one
had lately been near. And once he saw a movement in the midst of some
bracken and caught a glimpse of what seemed like Walter's coat, so that
he was sure he had him at last, and he shouted and ran forward.

But again no one was there, though the bracken was all trampled and
beaten down. The tracks Walter had made in going were plain, too, but
Rupert lost them almost at once and could not find them again, and when
he came a little later to the further edge of the wood, he decided to
waste no more time, but to make his way direct to Bittermeads so as at
least to make sure of Ella's safety.

He told himself that he had failed badly in woodcraft and, indeed, he
had been too fierce and hot in his pursuit to show his wonted skill.

The plan that had been in his mind from the moment when he left his
father was to take advantage of the fact that on this edge of the wood
was situated a farm belonging to Lord Chobham, where horses were bred
and where he was well known.

Some of these horses were sure to be out in the fields, and it would
be easy for him, wasting no t