The farmer was quite uncertain whether or not that was an order he was bound to obey; and besides, he was very unwilling that his horses should be taken off their work at all, and especially for the purpose of pursuing Sybil Berners. But still he felt that it would be safer for her, if not for himself, if he should yield to the demand of the sheriff's officer; he could put him on the wrong track, by counselling him to ride towards the east, while he knew that Sybil was far on her route to the west.

So without further demur, he went out to execute the order.

"And, farmer, when you have seen to that matter, I want you to gather all your men and maids into the breakfast room, that I may question them while I eat my breakfast, so as not now to lose a moment," he called after his retreating host.

All this was done as he directed. And when the family and the house servants were a.s.sembled in the breakfast room, and Purley examined and cross-examined them as to whether they had seen or heard anything of the prisoner or her husband during the night, they could all answer with perfect truth, that they had not. So old Purley got no satisfaction from them.

The bailiff hastily dispatched his breakfast, and the horses being ready, he called to his young a.s.sistant to follow him, and he went out and got into his saddle.

"Where the deuce am I to go after them, when there are so many roads to choose from?" groaned old Purley, in sore perplexity of spirit.

"Would they not be likely to make straight for the east and a seaport?"

inquired farmer Nye suggestively.

"To be sure they would," exclaimed Mr. Purley. "So now, Munson, we will go right back upon the road we came last night," he added, being still in ignorance as to the lost day.

"And as the stable boy told me, they had taken the wagon horses to ride, and those horses were then fairly knocked up with fatigue, while ours are now quite fresh, we may very soon overtake them," put in Munson, artfully.

And waving their hats in adieux to the farmer and his family, they rode off at full speed in pursuit of the fugitives. But they had not ridden more than a hundred yards, and had but just reached the four cross-roads, when they were both startled by a shrill--

"Whist!"

They drew their reins, and looked around just as the head of a negro boy emerged from the bushes, exclaiming

"Hallo, Marster!"

"Who are you? What do you want?" demanded Purley.

"I'm Bill, and I don't want nothing. But I know what _you_ want!"

"What do I want?"

"To know which way the run-a-way lady and gemplan went."

"I do know, they went this way," said Purley, pointing straight before him.

"No, they didn't neyther! they was too sharp for that, they said how you would be sure to search for 'em on that road, just as you are a doing of now; so they would take another road."

"That was likely too! Boy, do you know which road they took?"

"Yes, sir_ree_."

"Then tell me."

"I will if you'll give me a quarter," was the moderate conditions of this treaty.

"Here, take it!" exclaimed Mr. Parley, pitching the boy the silver coin in question.

"Thanky, Marster," grinned the lad, picking up the treasure.

"Now tell me."

"Well, Marster, they went along that left han' road till they got to the next turning, and then they turned to the left ag'in and kept on that tact towards that gap in the mountain where you see the sun set in the arternoon."

"How did you know all this, boy?"

"I was out c.o.o.n-hunting when I heerd them talking, and I listened and heerd all about it. And as I couldn't find any c.o.o.ns, I follyed arter them; and their horses was _tired_, as they kept on complainin' to each other. And so they went slow and I could keep up long of 'em."

"How far did you follow them?"

"Well, Marster! I couldn't help it! I follyed of 'em all night."

"And they never discovered you?"

"No, sar, they never did. I was barefooted and didn't make no noise, and keeped nigh the bushes on the roadside, and so they never found me out."

"And where did you part from them?"

"Well, Marster, I didn't part from 'em till I seed whar they stopped.

And if you'll take me up behind you, I'll show you the way to the place where they are hiding. It an't fur from here, not so very fur, I mean."

"Oh! ho! that is good! So, so, my run-a-ways! I shall nab you, shall I?"

exclaimed Purley in triumph, as he beckoned the negro imp to jump up behind him.

"But stop!" said Robert Munson, in an agony of terror for the safety of Sybil Berners. "Stop! What are you about to do? You are about to abduct Farmer Nye's slave!"

"Do you belong to Farmer Nye, boy? Though it don't matter a bit who you belong to. I'll take anybody I can lay hold of to guide me to the hiding-place of my prisoner--in the name of the Commonwealth of Virginia," said this new bailiff, who seemed to think that formula of words, like an absolute monarch's signet ring, was warranty for every sort of proceeding.

"But I don't belong to n.o.body. I's fee, and so's mammy. We an't got no master, and I an't got no daddy to lord it over me!" put in the boy.

"That's right, jump up behind," said the elder bailiff. And as soon as little Bill was safely perched up in the rear of his patron, the latter put spurs to his horse and gallopped off at full speed.

They went down the left hand, or south fork of the cross-roads, and gallopped on until they reached the branch road leading west. They turned into that road and pursued it mile after mile, through field and forest, mountain pa.s.s and valley plain, until, late in the afternoon, they reached another mountain range, and heard the roaring of a great torrent. They entered the black gap, and slowly and cautiously made their way through it. By the time they had emerged from the pa.s.s, the night was pitch dark.

"How shall we ever find our way?" inquired Purley who, fatigued and half famished, was ready to sink with exhaustion.

"Do you see that then gabble ind stickin' up through the trees?"

inquired the boy.

"Yes, I see it!"

"Well, him and her is in there?"

"Are you sure?" inquired Purley, anxiously.

"Here I is, Marster! If him and her ar'n't in there, here I is in your power, and you may skin me alive!"

"All right!" exclaimed Purley, and dismounting from his horse, he advanced towards the thicket, followed by Munson and the negro boy.