?" were my first exclamations. "Are you
much hurt," enquired the stranger. "No, no," I cried; "where is the
lady?" "I hope by this time safe," said he; "some gentlemen of the party
have followed her: her horse has run away with her; but they will
doubtless overtake her in a few minutes." He ascended a small rising
ground close to us, and stood gazing in the distance. "No, they are
following her still. She keeps her seat. They are now taking a short cut
to intercept her. They are close up.--No, that mad animal of a horse has
thrown them all out again, he springs over every thing; yet she still
holds on. What a capital horsewoman!" While he uttered those broken
exclamations I rolled on the ground in torture. At length, after a
pause, I heard him say, in a shuddering voice, "All's over! that way
leads direct to the cliff."

At the words, though dizzy with pain, and scarcely able to see, I seized
the bridle of the groom's horse, who had alighted to assist me; without
a word sprang on his back, and dashing in the spur was gone like an
arrow. The whole group soon followed.

From the first rising ground, I saw the frightful chase continued.
Mariamne's hat had fallen off, and her hair and habit were flying in the
wind. She was bending to the neck of her steed, whom the pursuit of the
hunt, and the sight of their red coats, had evidently frightened. He was
darting, rather than galloping along, by wild bounds, evidently growing
feeble, but still distancing his pursuers. Half dead with pain and
terror, I could scarcely hold the bridle, and was soon overtaken by the
stranger. "Sir," said he, "you are exhausted, and will never be able to
overtake the unfortunate lady in that direction. I know the
country--follow me." Unable to answer, I followed; with my ears ringing
with a thousand sounds, and my thoughts all confusion--I was awoke from
this half stupor by a tremendous outcry.

On the brow of the hill before me, were the dozen jaded riders, forced
to draw rein by the steepness of the declivity, and all pointing with
vehement gestures below. In the next instant, through the ravine at its
foot, and within a hundred yards of the cliff, came Marianne, still
clinging to the horse, and flying like the wind. The look which she cast
upon me, as she shot by, haunted me for years after, whenever an image
of terror rose in my dreams. Her eyes were starting from their sockets,
her lips gasping wide, her visage ghastliness itself. Another mom