Всадник без головы

Chapter 80

           Nowandthenhestoppedaltogether—towaitforthedeepeningofthetwilight.

           Workinghiswayinthisstealthymanner,hearrivedwithinlessthantwohundredyardsofthewalls—justasthelasttraceofsunlightdisappearedfromthesky.

           Hehadreachedthegoalofhisjourney—forthatday—andthespotonwhichhewaslikelytopassthenight.

           Alowstemlessbushgrewnear;and,layinghimselfdownbehindit,heresumedtheespionage,thatcouldscarcebesaidtohavebeeninterrupted.

           ***

           Throughoutthelive-longnightZebStumpneverclosedbotheyesatthesametime.Onewasalwaysonthewatch;andtheunflaggingearnestness,withwhichhemaintainedit,proclaimedhimtobeactingundertheinfluenceofsomemotivebeyondthecommon.

           Duringtheearlierhourshewasnotwithoutsoundstocheer,oratleastrelieve,themonotonyofhislonelyvigil.Therewasthehumofvoicesfromtheslavecabins;withnowandthenapealoflaughter.Butthiswasmoresuppressedthancustomary;norwasitaccompaniedbytheclearstrainoftheviolin,orthelivelytink-a-tinkofthebanjo—soundsalmostcharacteristicofthe"negro-quarter,"atnight.

           Thesombresilencethathungoverthe"bighouse"extendedtothehearthsofitssableretainers.

           Beforemidnightthevoicesbecamehushed,andstillnessreignedeverywhere;brokenonlyatintervalsbythehowlofastrayinghound—utteredinresponsetothehowl-barkofacoyotétakingcaretokeepfaroutupontheplain.

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