owed the hound's track, and soon came out upon the
high-road.

In the gloom a hay-cart drawn by four oxen, was quietly making its way
to its destination.

"God be praised!" said the old farm-laborer, as he recognized my
brother.

"For ever and ever."

After a slight pause my brother asked him if there was anything wrong?

"You needn't fear, it will be all right."

Thereupon we quietly sauntered along behind the hay-wagon.

My brother uncovered his head, and so proceeded on his way bareheaded;
he said he was very warm. We walked silently for a distance until the
old laborer came back to us.

"Not tired, Master Desi?" he asked; "you might take a seat on the cart."

"What are you thinking of, John?" said Lorand; "on this cart?"

"True; true, indeed," said the aged servant. Then he quietly crossed
himself, and went forward to the oxen.

When we came near the village, old John again came toward us.

"It will be better now if the young gentlemen go home through the
gardens; it will be much easier for me to get through the village
alone."

"Do you think they are still on guard?" asked Lorand.

"Of course they know already. One cannot take it amiss; the poor fellows
have twice in ten years had their hedges broken down by the hail."

"Stupidity!" answered my brother.

"May be," sighed the old serving-man. "Still the poor man thinks so."

Lorand nudged the old retainer so that he would not speak before me.

My brain became only more confused thereat.

Lorand told him that we would soon pass through the gardens; however,
after John had advanced a good distance with the cart we followed in his
tracks again, keeping steadily on until we came to the first row of
houses beginning the village. Here my brother began to thread his way
more cautiously, and in the dark I heard distinctly the click of the
trigger as he cocked his gun.

The cart proceeded quietly before us to the end of the long village
street.

Above the workhouse about six men armed with pitchforks met us.

My brother said we must make our way behind a hedge, and bade me hold
our dog's mouth lest he should bark when the others passed.

The pitchforked guards passed near the cart, and advanced before us too.
I heard how the one said to the other:

"Faith, _that_ is the reason this cursed wind is blowing so furiously!"

"_That_" was the reason! What was the reason?

As they passed, my brother took my hand and said: "Now let us hasten,
that we