rable darkness.
De Spain, catching Nan's arm, spoke hurriedly, and they hastened
outside toward the kitchen. "We must get away quick," he said as she
buttoned her coat. And, knowing how she suffered in what she was
doing, he drew her into the shelter of the porch and caught her close
to him. "It had to come, Nan. Don't shed a tear. I'll take you
straight to Mrs. Jeffries. When you are ready, you'll marry me; we'll
make our peace with your Uncle Duke together. Great God! What a night!
This way, dearie."

"No, to the stable, Henry! Where's your horse?"

"Under the pine, and yours, too. I found the pony, but I couldn't find
your saddle, Nan."

"I know where it's hidden. Let's get the horses."

"Just a minute. I stuck my rifle under this porch." He stooped and
felt below the stringer. Rising in a moment with the weapon on his
arm, the two hurried around the end of the house toward the pine-tree.
They had almost reached this when a murmur unlike the sounds of the
storm made de Spain halt his companion.

"What is it?" she whispered. He listened intently. While they stood
still the front door of the house was opened hurriedly. A man ran out
along the porch toward the stable. Neither Nan nor de Spain could make
out who it was, but de Spain heard again the suspicious sound that had
checked him. Without speaking, he took Nan and retreated to the corner
of the house. "There is somebody in that pine," he whispered, "waiting
for me to come after the horses. Sassoon may have found them. I'll try
it out, anyway, before I take a chance. Stand back here, Nan."

He put her behind the corner of the house, threw his rifle to his
shoulder, and fired as nearly as he could in the darkness toward and
just above the pine. Without an instant's hesitation a pistol-shot
answered from the direction in which he had fired, and in another
moment a small fusillade followed. "By the Almighty," muttered de
Spain, "we must have our horses, Nan. Stay right here. I'll try
driving those fellows off their perch."

She caught his arm. "What are you going to do?"

"Run in on them from cover, wherever I can find it, Nan, and push them
back. We've got to have those horses."

"Henry, we can get others from the stable."

"There may be more men waiting there for us."

"If we could only get away without a fight!"

"This is Sassoon and his gang, Nan. You heard Pardaloe. These are not
your people. I've got to drive 'em, or we're gone, Nan."

"Then I go