accelerated till the troop was scouring over the ground
with the flight of a tempest. Confused with terror,
and alarmed at the threats of her powerful keeper,
she remained silent, unable to divine in what direction
they were hurrying; but felt that her captor and
custodian kept looking behind, as if afraid of some one
in pursuit; and the killing pace appeared to rise yet
higher, and the animals to quiver in quick bounds like
mortal throes, as the spurs were plied up to the rowels,
and the creatures seemed to swallow the ground, until
again over all burst, as might the shriek of an imprisoned
gnome, from beneath her envelopement, the cry of
Amanda calling upon the name of Claude Montigny.

"Forward! faster, yet faster!" cried a voice in rage
and apprehension; and with renewed application of
whip and spur, the party tore along the road, shaking
it as the prairie is shaken when it is swept over by a
herd of buffaloes.

"Claude, Claude!" she again shrieked, and now in
addition to the thick cowl, a huge hand was placed
upon her mouth, a threat of instant death came from
the terrible voice behind her, the grip tightened round
her form, and, making her darkness yet darker, at
that moment the clouds, that had been lately gathering,
covered the moon. Soon the way divided before them.
To the left it meandered half hidden with trees, to
the right it loomed straight and open, leading to
Montreal, and the motion of the horses, now abreast
and flinging foam from their bits, seemed like the
tossing of the boiling rapids, and amidst the thunder
of the hoofs the hoarse voice of him who rode behind
her, hissing with earnestness and fear like an excited
Python, exclaimed:

[[81]]

p080b _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p081w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p082

v?