"You were at hand, and could neither prevent nor follow him ?" "I'll go with you now, if you'll give chase," whimpered Richard, feeling himself for once the craven that he was.
"If ?" echoed Wilding scornfully, and dragged him past the gate and up towards the house even as he spoke.

"Is there room for a doubt of it?
Have you horses, at least ?" "To spare," said Richard as they hurried on.

They skirted the house and found the stable door open as Blake had left it.

Old Jasper followed with a lamp which burned steadily, so calm was the air of that July night.

In three minutes they had saddled a couple of nags; in five they were riding for the bridge and the road to Weston Zoyland.
"It is a miracle you remained in Bridgwater," said Richard as they rode.
"How came you to be left behind ?" "I had a task assigned me in the town against the Duke's return to-morrow," Wilding explained, and he spoke almost mechanically, his mind full of--anguished by--thoughts of Ruth.
"Against the Duke's return ?" cried Richard, first surprised and then thinking that Wilding spoke at random.