He was not more than half a mile away now, but the view he obtained was so instantaneous that he could not distinguish any particulars.
"He is riding fast, anyhow," he said.

"Faster than a man would travel, on ordinary business.

He is either a messenger, sent on urgent business; or it is Thorne." He slightly altered the direction of his course, for the speed at which the horseman was travelling must take him ahead of him, at the point where Reuben had calculated upon cutting him off.

In a short distance he would get a view of him; for the trees ended here, and the plain was open and unbroken, save by low bush.
When the figure came clear of the trees, he was but a quarter of a mile away; and Reuben gave a start, for he recognized at once the uniform of his own corps.

It could only be one of the men left at Donald's and, with an exclamation of anger, Reuben pressed his horse to the utmost in pursuit of the man, who was now almost directly ahead, at the same time uttering a loud call.
The man glanced back but, to Reuben's surprise, instead of stopping waved his hand above his head, and pressed forward.