ng
distance was soon passed over, and Talbot found himself entering the
familiar stretch of woodland which marked the beginning of the
colonel's estate. Under the trees and beneath the high bank of the
river the shadows deepened; scarcely any light from the moon fell on
the road. It was well, therefore, that our cavalier drew rein, and
somewhat checked the pace of his horse, advancing with some caution
over the familiar yet unseen road; for just as he came opposite the
land end of the pier which led out to the boat-house, the animal
stopped with such suddenness that a less practised rider would have
suffered a severe fall. The horse snorted and trembled in terror, and
began rearing and backing away from the spot. Looking down in the
darkness, Talbot could barely discern a dark, bulky object lying in the
road.

"Here, Dick!" he called to the groom, who had stopped and reined in his
own horse, apparently as terrified as the other, a few paces back of
his master; and tossing his bridle rein toward him, "take my horse,
while I see what stopped him."

Lightly leaping to the ground, and stepping up to the object before
him, he bent down and laid his hand upon it, and then started back in
surprise and horror. "It's a man," he exclaimed; "dead, yet warm
still. Who can it be?" The moonlight fell upon the pebbly beach of
the river a little farther out; overcoming his reluctance, he half
lifted, half carried the body out where the light would fall upon its
face. This face, which was unknown to him, was that of a
desperate-looking ruffian, who was dressed in a soiled and tattered
uniform, the coat of which was red; the man's hand tightly clasped a
discharged pistol; he had been shot in the breast, for where his coat
had fallen open might be seen a dark red stain about a ragged hole in
his soiled gray shirt; the bullet had been fired at short range, too,
for there were powder marks all about his breast. Talbot noticed these
things rapidly, his mind working quickly.

"Oh, Mars' Hil'ry--wha-wha's de mattah? I kyarnt hol' dese hosses;
dey'se sumfin wrong, sho'ly," broke in the groom, his teeth chattering
with terror.

"Quiet, man! don't make so much noise. This is the dead body of a man,
a soldier; he has been shot too. Take the horses back beyond the old
tree on the little bend there; tie them securely, and come back here
quickly. Make no noise. Bring the pistols from your holsters."

As the man turned to obey him