"Don't hang glowering here; forwards, and warn me
if any one approaches, that I may cover up this toy."
And whilst the monster readjusted the cowl to the
face of Amanda, his comrade again pricked the panting
sides of his own horse, that being lightlier laden than
its fellow, easily shot ahead. And thus they swept
along the road, whilst the rising breeze still drove
the clouds over the face of the moon, and the race
seemed to have its fantastic counterpart in the wrack
of the sky. And now they silently journeyed, avoiding
village and hamlet, by making wide detours; but, in
spite of their precautions, arousing the bark of many
a solitary cur, as they swept by each homestead like
an apparition. Even these incidents, and possible
chances for her rescue at length ceased, and the des-
pairing Amanda, too proud to vainly beg for her
release from her stubborn captors, drew the hood
again over her face, and in the double darkness called
upon Heaven to be her protector and deliverer. That
Claude had heard her cries she felt assured; that he
had pursued a portion of her abductors towards Mont-
real, and would continue his efforts, with those of her
guardian and the inmates of Stillyside, to find and
recover her she did not doubt; but in the meantime
what might she not have to endure? And shrinking
from the contemplation of the uncertain gulf before
her, she was at length recalled to a sense of
external things, by a sudden change of sound, from
that of the clatter of the horses' hoofs on the hard
road, to one like the roll of a distant peal of thunder,
and telling her they were crossing a rude wooden
bridge, that led from the Island to the main. Then
for the first time the riders permanently abated their

[[83]]

p082 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p083w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p084

v?