第50章

Speech is the familiar vent of human thoughts; but there are emotions so simple and overpowering, that they rush out not in words, but eloquent sounds.At such moments man seems to lose his characteristics, and to be merely one of the higher animals; for these, when greatly agitated, ejaculate, though they cannot speak.

There was something terrible and truly animal, both in the roar of triumph with which the pursuers burst out of the thicket on our fugitives, and the sharp cry of terror with which these latter darted away.The pursuers hands clutched the empty air, scarce two feet behind them, as they fled for life.Confused for a moment, like lions that miss their spring, Dierich and his men let Gerard and the mule put ten yards between them.Then they flew after with uplifted weapons.They were sure of catching them; for this was not the first time the parties had measured speed.In the open ground they had gained visibly on the three this morning, and now, at last, it was a fair race again, to be settled by speed alone.Ahundred yards were covered in no time.Yet still there remained these ten yards between the pursuers and the pursued.

This increase of speed since the morning puzzled Dierich Brower.

The reason was this.When three run in company.the pace is that of the slowest of the three.From Peter's house to the edge of the forest Gerard ran Margaret's pace; but now he ran his own; for the mule was fleet, and could have left them all far behind.Moreover, youth and chaste living began to tell.Daylight grew imperceptibly between the hunted ones and the hunters.Then Dierich made a desperate effort, and gained two yards; but in a few seconds Gerard had stolen them quietly back.The pursuers began to curse.

Martin heard, and his face lighted up."Courage, Gerard! courage, brave lad! they are straggling."It was so.Dierich was now headed by one of his men, and another dropped into the rear altogether.

They came to a rising ground, not sharp, but long; and here youth, and grit, and sober living told more than ever.

Ere he reached the top, Dierich's forty years weighed him down like forty bullets."Our cake is dough," he gasped."Take him dead, if you can't alive;" and he left running, and followed at a foot's pace.Jorian Ketel tailed off next; and then another, and so, one by one, Gerard ran them all to a standstill, except one who kept on stanch as a bloodhound, though losing ground every minute.His name, if I am not mistaken, was Eric Wouverman.

Followed by him, they came to a rise in the wood, shorter, but much steeper than the last.

"Hand on mane!" cried Martin.

Gerard obeyed, and the mule helped him up the hill faster even than he was running before.

At the sight of this manoeuvre, Dierich's man lost heart, and, being now full eighty yards behind Gerard, and rather more than that in advance of his nearest comrade, he pulled up short, and, in obedience to Dierich's order, took down his crossbow, levelled it deliberately, and just as the trio were sinking out of sight over the crest of the hill, sent the bolt whizzing among them.

There was a cry of dismay; and, next moment, as if a thunder-bolt had fallen on them, they were all lying on the ground, mule and all.