I suspected a great deal more.
I did not know what to do, for I did not want to make a scandal by
letting Peter know anything was out of the way, and all I could think of
was to have a slow horse put in the buggy instead of a fast one. I
thought that might help, anyway.')

"'Well,' continued the old gentleman, 'there was nothing for me to do
but to take Ripstaver and the spring-wagon and go after Rebecca's
baggage. When I reached the doctor's house, and found the buggy had
gone, I got the pillow-case, put it into the trunk, and started off on a
back road which joined the turnpike a couple of miles farther on. Near
the junction of the two roads was a high hill from which I hoped I might
be able to see the buggy, and, if so, I would follow it at a safe
distance. As soon as I got to the top of this hill I did see the buggy;
but I saw more than that--I saw another buggy not far behind it. There
was a roan horse in this one which I knew to belong to the doctor.
Bridges was whipping our old mare like everything, and she was doing her
best, and galloping; but the doctor's roan was a good one, and he was
gaining on them very fast. It was a beautiful race, and I felt like
clapping and cheering the doctor, for, although he was spoiling my game,
it was a splendid thing to see him driving his roan so fast and so
steadily, never letting him break out of a regular trot, and I hated
Bridges so much I was glad to see anybody getting the better of him.

"'It was not long before the doctor's buggy caught up with the other
one, and then they both stopped; everybody got out, and there must have
been a grand talk, but of course I could not hear any of it. The doctor
shook his fist, and I could see they were having a lively time. After a
bit they stopped talking, the doctor took Rebecca into his buggy and
drove back, and Garrett Bridges got into our buggy and went slowly
toward the station--to see about his trunk, I suppose. I did not lose
any time after that, but drove to the doctor's as fast as old Ripstaver
could travel, and I had Rebecca's pillow-case in the woodshed before the
doctor arrived. Now I never was able to imagine how the doctor found out
that Rebecca had gone. She did not know herself. She said she got out of
the house without making any more noise than a cat; and as for her
father waking up at the sound of wheels in the public road, that was
ridiculous; if he had heard them he would not have paid any attention to
them. Tha