hich had the audacity
to indulge in such excesses in the midst of a civilised, constitutional
state, in despite of all law and order? She had not the remotest idea
that it was a widespread rebellion of the most horrible description.

Meanwhile, that black curtain had been drawn right across the sky, the
whole region was in pitch-black darkness, one star after another had
been blotted out, the horse hung its head and frequently whinnied. Maria
felt that she could no longer remain safely in her saddle, fearing as
she did that the horse might at any moment fall head foremost. So she
dismounted, and letting the reins hang over her arm, led the horse along
beside her.

It was hard to discern the grass-grown path in the darkness, and Maria
immediately directed her footsteps towards a bright light in front of
her a long way off, which seemed to proceed from the windows of some
wayside house.

As she drew nearer to this house it seemed to her as if masses of men
were flitting backwards and forwards, and the din of many voices struck
upon her ear.

And now it suddenly dawned upon her why her pursuers had laughed so
loudly when they saw her take refuge in this direction, here also the
road was barred.

For an instant she stopped short. Feminine weakness for a moment took
possession of her heart, and a shudder ran suddenly through her whole
body; it was one of those instinctive feelings of panic which we cannot
explain to ourselves. Where can I take refuge? she thought. Shall I
forsake the road and venture amidst the strange woods beyond? Then she
bethought her on what errand she had come, and she trembled no longer,
but drew forth her pistols from her holsters, looked well to their
priming, placed one under her arm, took the other in her hand, and tying
the horse to a tree by the roadside (for, indeed, of what further use
was he now?), resolutely directed her steps towards the noisy mob.

It was now so dark that it would have been easy to have avoided them
altogether by making a short circuit, but that sort of perilous
curiosity which often urges men to thrust themselves into the very
situations from which they instinctively shrink, would not now permit
her to turn from her purpose of penetrating those howling masses there
and then.

Only when she was already in the midst of them did they become aware of
her.

"Stop!" resounded on every side of her, and the point of a scythe
pressed against the breast of the intruder.