eserved her deadly silence.

I slipped off my horse; she was within an arm's length, and, not
trusting her, I passed my arm with scarcely a noticeable movement
through her bridle. It was well that I did so; for an instant after she
tore at the bridle, not knowing I had hold of it, and lashed her horse
again, thinking to escape whilst I was on the ground. I was very near
knocked down by the horse's shoulder, but I slipped up my hand and
caught him close to the bit--holding my own with my other hand.

"You termagant!" I said, as soon as I had them both quiet; for I was
very angry indeed to be treated so after all my gentleness. "No more
trust for me. It would serve you right if I left you here."

"Leave me," she wailed, "leave me, you coward!"

I set my teeth.

"I shall not," I said. "I shall punish you by remaining. I know you hate
my company. Well, you will submit to it, then, because I choose so. Now
then, let us see--"

Then she burst out suddenly into a passion of weeping. I set my teeth
harder than ever. There was only one way, after all, to get the better
of Dolly; and I had pitched on it.

"Yes: it is very well to cry," I said. "You nearly had me killed just
now. Well: you will have to listen to me presently, whether you like it
or not. Give me the lantern."

She made no movement. She had fought down the tears a little; but I
could hear her breath still sobbing. I reached up and took the lantern
from her right hand.

"Now; where in God's name are we?" said I.

We had ridden into some kind of blind alley, I presently saw; and that
was why Dolly's horse had halted. Even that I had not owed to her
goodwill. For we had ridden, I saw presently, lifting the lantern up and
down, into a great chalk pit; and must have turned off along the track
that led to it, from one of those sunken ways that drovers use to bring
their flocks up to the high road. That we were to the right of the high
road I was certain, of my own observation. _Ergo_; if we could get back
into the sunken way and turn to the right, we might find ourselves on
familiar ground again. However, I said nothing of this to Dolly. I was
resolved that she should suffer a little more first. I took the bridles
of the two horses more securely, slipping my hand with the lantern
through the bridle of my own, turned their heads round and walked
between them, looking very closely on this side and that, and turning my
lantern every way. After twenty yards I saw