Dark Hollow

by Anna Katharine Green

  XXXI

  ESCAPE

  "Oliver? Where is Oliver?"

  These were Reuther's first words, as, coming to herself, she perceivedMr. Black bending helplessly over her.

  The answer was brief, almost indifferent. Alanson Black was cursinghimself for allowing her to come to this house alone.

  "He was here a moment ago. When he saw you begin to give signs of life,he slid out. How do you feel, my--my dear? What will your mother say?"

  "But Oliver?" She was on her feet now; she had been lying on some sortof couch. "He must--Oh, I remember now. Mr. Black, we must go. I havegiven him his father's letter."

  "We are not going till you have something to eat. Not a word. I'll--"Why did his eye wander to the nearest window, and his words trail awayinto silence?

  Reuther turned about to see. Oliver was in front, conversing earnestlywith Mr. Sloan. As they looked, he dashed back into the rear of thehouse, and they heard his voice rise once or twice in some ineffectualcommands to his deaf servant, then there came a clatter and a rush fromthe direction of the stable, and they saw him flash by on a gaunt butfiery horse, and take with long bounds the road up which they had justlaboured. He had stopped to equip himself in some measure for this ride,but not the horse, which was without saddle or any sort of bridle but ahalter strung about his neck.

  This was flight; or so it appeared to Mr. Sloan, as he watched the youngman disappear over the brow of the hill. What Mr. Black thought was notso apparent. He had no wish to discourage Reuther whose feeling was oneof relief as her first word showed.

  "Oliver is gone. We shall not have to hurry now and perhaps if I had afew minutes in which to rest---"

  She was on the verge of fainting again.

  And then Alanson Black showed of what stuff he was made. In ten minuteshe had bustled about the half-deserted building, and with the aid of thedazed and uncomprehending deaf-mute, managed to prepare a cup of hot teaand a plate of steaming eggs for the weary girl.

  After such an effort, Reuther felt obliged to eat, and she did; seeingwhich, the lawyer left her for a moment and went out to interview theirguide.

  "Where's the young lady?"

  This from Mr. Sloan.

  "Eating something. Come in and have a bite; and let the horses eat, too.She must have a rest. The young fellow went off pretty quick, eh?"

  "Ya-as." The drawl was one of doubt. "But quickness don't count. Fast orslow, he's on his way to capture--if that's what you want to know."

  "What? We are followed then?"

  "There are men on the road; two, as I told you before. He can't get bythem--IF that's what he wants to do."

  "But I thought they fell back. We didn't hear them after you joined us."

  "No; they didn't come on. They didn't have to. This is the only roaddown the mountain, and it's one you've got to follow or go tumbling overthe precipice. All they've got to do is to wait for him; and that's whatI tried to tell him, but he just shook his arm at me and rode on. Hemight better have waited--for company."

  Mr. Black cast a glance behind him, saw that the door of the house wasalmost closed and ventured to put another question.

  "What did he ask you when he came out here?"

  "Why we had chosen such an early hour to bring him his father'smessage."

  "And what did you say?"

  "Wa'al, I said that there was another fellow down my way awful eager tosee him, too; and that you were mortal anxious to get to him first. Thatwas about it, wasn't it, sir?"

  "Yes. And how did he take that?"

  "He turned white, and asked me just what I meant. Then I said that someone wanted him pretty bad, for, early as it was, this stranger was up assoon as you, and had followed us into the mountains and might show upany time on the road. At which he gave me a stare, then plunged backinto the house to get his hat and trot out his horse. I never sawquicker work. But it's no use; he can't escape those men. They know it,or they wouldn't have stopped where they did, waiting for him."

  Mr. Black recalled the aspect of the gully, and decided that Mr. Sloanwas right. There could be but one end to this adventure. Oliver would becaught in a manifest effort to escape, and the judge's cup of sorrow andhumiliation would be full. He felt the shame of it himself; also thefolly of his own methods and of the part he had allowed Reuther to play.Beckoning to his host to follow him, he turned towards the house.

  "Don't mention your fears to the young lady," said he. "At least, nottill we are well past the gully."

  "I shan't mention anything. Don't you be afeared of that."

  And with a simultaneous effort difficult for both, they assumed a morecheerful air, and briskly entered the house.

  It was not until they were well upon the road back that Reuther venturedto speak of Oliver. She was riding as far from the edge of the precipiceas possible. In descent it looked very formidable to her unaccustomedeye.

  "This is a dangerous road for a man to ride bareback," she remarked."I'm terrified when I think of it, Mr. Black. Why did he go off quite sosuddenly? Is there a train he is anxious to reach? Mr. Sloan, is there atrain?"

  "Yes, Miss, there is a train."

  "Which he can get by riding fast?"

  "I've known it done!"

  "Then he is excusable." Yet her anxious glance stole ever and again tothe dizzy verge towards which she now unconsciously urged her own horsetill Mr. Black drew her aside.

  "There is nothing to fear in that direction," said he. "Oliver's horseis to be trusted, if not himself. Cheer up, little one, we'll soon be onmore level ground and then for a quick ride and a speedy end to thissuspense."

  He was rewarded by a confiding look, after which they all fell silent.

  A half-hour's further descent, then a quick turn and Mr. Sloan, who hadridden on before them, came galloping hastily back.

  "Wait a minute," he admonished them, putting up his hand to emphasisethe appeal.

  "Oh, what now?" cried Reuther, but with a rising head instead of asinking one.

  "We will see," said Mr. Black, hastening to meet their guide. "Whatnow?" he asked. "Have they come together? Have the detectives got him?"

  "No, not HIM; only his horse. The animal has just trottedup--riderless."

  "Good God! the child's instinct was true. He has been thrown--"

  "No." Mr. Sloan's mouth was close to the lawyer's ear. "There is anotherexplanation. If the fellow is game, and anxious enough to reach thetrain to risk his neck for it, there's a path he could have taken whichwould get him there without his coming round this turn. I never thoughtit a possible thing till I saw his horse trotting on ahead of us withouta rider." Then as Reuther came ambling up, "Young lady, don't let mescare you, but it looks now as if the young man had taken a short cut tothe station, which, so far as I know, has never been taken but by oneman before. If you will draw up closer--here! give me hold of yourbridle. Now look back along the edge of the precipice for about half amile, and you will see shooting up from the gully a solitary tree whosetopmost branch reaches within a few feet of the road above."

  She looked. They were at the lower end of the gully which curved up andaway from this point like an enormous horseshoe. They could see the faceof the precipice for miles.

  "Yes," she suddenly replied, as her glance fell on the one red splashshowing against the dull grey of the cliff.

  "A leap from the road, if well-timed, would land a man among some verystalwart branches. It's a risk and it takes nerve; but it succeededonce, and I dare say has succeeded again."

  "But--but--if he didn't reach--didn't catch--"

  "Young lady, he's a man in a thousand. If you want the proof, look overthere."

  He was pointing again, but in a very different direction now. As heranxious eye sought the place he indicated, her face flushed crimson withevanescent joy. Just where the open ground of the gully melted againinto the forest, the figure of a man could be seen moving very quickly.In another moment it had disappeared amid the foliage.

  "Straight for th
e station," announced Mr. Sloan; and, taking out hiswatch, added quickly; "the train is not due for fifteen minutes. He'llcatch it."

  "The train south?"

  "Yes, and the train north. They pass here."

  Mr. Black turned a startled eye upon the guide. But Reuther's face wasstill alight. She felt very happy. Their journey had not been fornaught. He would have six hours' start of his pursuers; he would be thatmuch sooner in Shelby; he would hear the accusation against him andrefute it before she saw him again.

  But Mr. Black's thoughts were less pleasing than hers. He had never hadmore than a passing hope of Oliver's innocence, and now he had none atall. The young man had fled, not in response to his father's telegram,but under the impulse of his own fears. They would not find him inShelby when they returned. They might never find him anywhere again. Apretty story to carry back to the judge.

  As he dwelt upon this thought, his reflections grew more and moregloomy, and he had little to say till he reached the turn where the twomen still awaited them.

  In the encounter which followed no attempt was made by either party todisguise the nature of the business which had brought them thustogether. The man whom Mr. Black took to be a Shelby detective nodded asthey met and remarked, with a quick glance at Reuther:

  "So you've come without him! I'm sorry for that. I was in hopes that Imight be spared the long ride up the mountain."

  Mr. Black limited his answer to one of his sour smiles.

  "Whose horse is this?" came in peremptory demand from the other man,with a nod towards the animal which could now be seen idly grazing bythe wayside. "And how came it on the road alone?"

  "We can only give you these facts," rejoined the lawyer. "It came fromTempest Lodge. It started out ahead of us with the gentleman we had goneto visit on its back. We did not pass the gentleman on the road, and ifhe has not passed you, he must have left the road somewhere on foot. Hedid not go back to the Lodge."

  "Mr. Black--"

  "I am telling you the absolute truth. Make what you will of it. Hisfather desires him home; and sent a message. This message this younglady undertook to deliver, and she did deliver it, with the consequencesI have mentioned. If you doubt me, take your ride. It is not an easyone, and the only man remaining at the Lodge is deaf as a post."

  "Mr. Black has told the whole story," averred the guide.

  They looked at Reuther.

  "I have nothing to add," said she. "I have been terrified lest thegentleman you wish to see was thrown from the horse's back over theprecipice. But perhaps he found some way of getting down on foot. He isa very strong and daring man."

  "The tree!" ejaculated the detective's companion. He was from aneighbouring locality and remembered this one natural ladder up the sideof the gully.

  "Yes, the tree," acknowledged Mr. Sloan. "That, or a fall. Let us hopeit was not a fall."

  As he ceased, a long screech from an approaching locomotive woke up theechoes of the forest. It was answered by another from the oppositedirection. Both trains were on time. The relief felt by Reuther couldnot be concealed. The detective noticed it.

  "I'm wasting time here," said he. "Excuse me, Mr. Black, if I push onahead of you. If we don't meet at the station, we shall meet in Shelby."

  Mr. Black's mouth twisted grimly. He had no doubt of the latter fact.

  Next minute, they were all cantering in the one direction; the detectivevery much in the advance.

  * * * * *

  "Let me go with you to the station," entreated Reuther, as Mr. Blackheld up his arms to lift her from her horse at the door of the hotel.

  But his refusal was peremptory. "You need Miss Weeks, and Miss Weeksneeds you," said he. "I'll be back in just five minutes." And withoutwaiting for a second pleading look, he lifted her gently off and carriedher in.

  When he returned, as he did in the time specified, he had but one wordfor her.

  "Gone," said he.

  "Thank God!" she murmured and turned to Miss Weeks with a smile.

  Not having a smile to add to hers, the lawyer withdrew.

  Oliver was gone--but gone north.