"Why do they not scour the woods in a body?" inquired Louis.
"So they did; but--bless your soul!--it"s like looking for a needle in a hay-stack--couldn"t find him anywhere."
"Oh! it was capital fun!" said Gipsy, laughing, "it reminded me of "hide-and-go-seek" more than anything else. Once or twice they caught sight of me through the bushes, and taking me for poor Tom, came pretty near firing on me. Simms made them stop, and called to me to surrender to the law, or I"d repent it. Accordingly, I surrendered, and rode out, and--my goodness!--if they didn"t look blue when they saw me! I burst right out laughing in their face, and made Simms so mad that I guess he wished he had let his men shoot me. Oh! didn"t I have a jolly time, though! I took them, by various artifices, miles out of their way--generally leaving them half-swamped in a bog, or in some pathless part of the woods--until Simms lost all patience, and swore till he was black in the face, and rode home in a towering pa.s.sion, all covered with mud, and his fine city clothes torn to tatters. Ha, ha, ha! I guess I enjoyed it, if they didn"t."
"As mischievous as ever!" exclaimed the squire. "Pretty way, that, to treat the officers of the law in the discharge of their duty! How will you like it, if that black demon comes here some night, and murders us all in our beds?"
Lizzie uttered a stifled shriek at the idea.
"I"m sure I"ll be glad of it, if he only murders Spider first, and so save me the trouble," said Gipsy.
"You"re an affectionate wife, "pon my word," muttered Louis.
"Yes; but it"s just like the diabolical young imp," growled the squire.
"Thank you--you"re complimentary," muttered Gipsy.
"Mind you," continued the squire, "while Big Tom"s at liberty you must leave off your rides through the woods and over the hills--because he might be the death of you at any moment."
"More likely I"d be the death of him. I never was born to be killed by a ruffian."
"No; for if the gallows had its dues----"
"You wouldn"t be here to-day," interrupted Gipsy.
"Come--don"t interrupt me, young woman. I positively forbid you or any one in this place riding out while Big Tom"s roaming about."
"That"s right, Guardy--show your authority. Nothing like keeping it up, you know. And now, as I"m off to give Mignonne an airing, I"ll think of your commands by the way."
And the disobedient elf arose to leave the room.
"But, my dear, tantalizing little coz, it really is dangerous,"
interrupted Louis. "If you were to encounter this gigantic negro, alone, it would be rather a serious affair, I"m afraid."
"Bother!" exclaimed the polite and courteous Mrs. Wiseman. "Do you s"pose I"m afraid--Gipsy Gower afraid! Whew! I like that! Make your mind easy, my dear Louis. I could face a regiment on Mignonne"s back without flinching."
And Gipsy darted off to don her riding-habit, singing as she went:
"Some love to roam O"er the dark sea foam, Where the shrill winds whistle free; But a chosen band In the mountain land, And a life in the woods for me."
Ten minutes afterward they saw her ride out of the court-yard at her usual furious rate, and dash away over the hills, where she was speedily out of sight.
Gipsy must have had some of the Arab in her nature; for she spent almost her whole life on horseback. She heeded not the flight of time, as she thundered along, riding in the most hazardous places--sometimes narrowly escaping being dashed to pieces over precipices--sometimes leaping yawning chasms that would make many a stout hunter"s head giddy.
The excitement was a part--a necessity--of her nature. The almost stagnant life in the village would have driven the hot-headed, impetuous girl wild, but for the mad excitement of the chase. Brave as a young lioness--bold and free as the eagle of her native mountains--she scorned fear, and sought danger as others do safety. She knew it was putting her head into the lion"s mouth to venture alone into this wild, unfrequented region, within arm"s length of a desperate villain, hunted down like a furious beast; yet the idea of not venturing here never once entered her mad little head.
It was growing dark before Gipsy began to think of turning her steps homeward. Reluctantly she turned her horse"s head, and set out for Mount Sunset--half regretting she had met with no adventure worth relating on her return.
As she rapidly galloped along she discovered she had ridden much farther than she had intended, and that it would be late ere she reached the hall. The dim starlight alone guided her path; for the moon had not yet risen. But Mignonne was so well accustomed to the road that he could have found his way in the dark; and Gipsy rode on gayly, humming to herself a merry hunting-chorus.
Suddenly a gleam of light from between the trees flashed across their path. Mignonne, like his mistress, being only a half-tamed thing at best, reared suddenly upright, and would have dashed off at headlong speed, had not Gipsy held the reins with a grasp of iron. Her strength was wonderful for a creature so small and slight; but her vigorous exercise had given her thews and muscles of steel. Mignonne felt he was in the hand of a master-spirit, and after a few fierce bounds and plunges, stood still and surrendered.
Rapidly alighting, Gipsy bound her horse securely, and then stole noiselessly through the trees. The cause of the light was soon discovered; and Gipsy beheld a sight that, daring and fearless as she was, for a moment froze the very blood in her veins.
A small semicircle was before her, in the center of which the remains of a fire still glowed, casting a hot, reddish glare around. By its lurid light the huge figure of a gigantic negro, whose hideous face was now frightfully convulsed with rage. On her knees at his feet was a woman, whom he grasped with one hand by the throat, and with the other brandished over her head a long, murderous knife. The sight for a moment left Gipsy"s eyes, and her very heart ceased beating. Then, with the rapidity of lightning, she drew a pistol, aimed and fired.
One second more and she would have been too late. With the shriek of a madman the huge negro leaped into the air, and bounded to where she stood. She turned to fly, but ere she had advanced a yard she was in the furious grasp of the wounded monster. His red eyes were like b.a.l.l.s of fire, he foamed, he roared with rage and pain, as with one huge hand he raised the slight form of Gipsy to dash out her brains.
In that moment of deadly peril the brave girl was as cool and self-possessed as though she were seated in safety in her guardian"s parlor. A gleaming knife was stuck in his belt. Quick as thought she drew it out, and, concentrating all her strength, she plunged it in his breast.
The hot blood spurted in a gush up in her face. Without a cry the ruffian reeled, his hand relaxed, and Gipsy sprang from his grasp just as he fell heavily to the ground.
Gipsy staggered against a tree, with a deadly inclination to swoon coming over her. She covered her face with her hands to hide the ghastly form of the huge negro, lying weltering in his own blood before her. She had taken a life; and though it was done in self-defense, and to save the life of another, it lay on her heart like lead.
The thought of that other at length aroused her to action. Darting through the trees she approached the fire. The woman lay on the ground, senseless, and half strangled. The firelight, as it fell upon her, showed the face and form of an old woman, upward of fifty, poorly clad, and garments half torn off in the scuffle.
The sight restored Gipsy to her wonted composure. Kneeling down, she began chafing the old woman"s hands and temples with an energy that soon restored her to consciousness. She opened her eyes and glared for a moment wildly around; then, as consciousness returned, she uttered shriek upon shriek, making the forest resound.
"Stop your screaming," said Gipsy, shaking her in her excitement.
"You"re safe enough now. Stop, will you. I tell you you"re safe."
"Safe!" repeated the woman, wildly. "Oh, that drefful n.i.g.g.e.r----"
"He won"t hurt you any more. Stop your noise, and get up, and come with me!" said Gipsy, impatiently.
"Oh! Lor" a ma.s.sey! I can"t git up. I"m all out o" j"int. I"m dead entirely!" groaned the woman.
"Then I shall leave you here," said Gipsy, rising.
"Oh, don"t leave me!--don"t, for G.o.d"s sake! I"d die o" fear!" screamed the woman, grasping Gipsy"s dress.
"Then, you stupid old thing, get up and come along," cried Gipsy, losing all patience, as she seized her with no gentle hand, and pulled her to her feet.
"Where "ll I go?" said the poor old creature, trembling with mortal terror, evidently as much afraid of the fierce little Amazon before her, as of the huge negro.
"This way," said Gipsy, pulling her along to where stood her horse.
"Now, get up there, and put your arms around my waist, and hold on for your life."
"Oh! dear me! I never rid a horseback in my life, and I"ll fall off--I know I will!" said the old woman, wringing her hands in fresh distress.
"Well, I can"t help it; you"ll have to make the attempt, or stay here till I reach St. Mark"s, and rouse up the people. Which will you do?"
"Oh! I da.s.sent stay. I"ll go "long with you, somehow."
"Very well. Up with you then," said Gipsy, almost lifting her into the saddle. "Now, I"ll get on before you, and mind, if you don"t hold on well, you"ll never reach the village alive."
With the clutch of mortal fear, the old lady grasped Gipsy round the waist, and held on for dear life, until Mount Sunset was gained, when, more dead than alive, she was a.s.sisted to alight, and consigned to the care of the servants.
Louis, who had just returned from his interview with Celeste, was in the parlor with the squire, meditating how he should make his proposal, when Gipsy, pale, wild, and disordered, her hair disheveled, and her garments dyed with blood, burst in upon them, electrifying them with amazement.