Етюд у багряних тонах
A Flight for Life.
Thegreetingbetweentheloverswaswarm,butbrief,forminuteswereprecious,andtherewasmuchtobedone.
“Wemustmakeourstartatonce,”saidJeffersonHope,speakinginalowbutresolutevoice,likeonewhorealizesthegreatnessoftheperil,buthassteeledhishearttomeetit. “Thefrontandbackentrancesarewatched,butwithcautionwemaygetawaythroughthesidewindowandacrossthefields. OnceontheroadweareonlytwomilesfromtheRavinewherethehorsesarewaiting. Bydaybreakweshouldbehalf-waythroughthemountains.”
“Whatifwearestopped,”askedFerrier.
Hopeslappedtherevolverbuttwhichprotrudedfromthefrontofhistunic. “Iftheyaretoomanyforusweshalltaketwoorthreeofthemwithus,”hesaidwithasinistersmile.
Thelightsinsidethehousehadallbeenextinguished,andfromthedarkenedwindowFerrierpeeredoverthefieldswhichhadbeenhisown,andwhichhewasnowabouttoabandonforever. Hehadlongnervedhimselftothesacrifice,however,andthethoughtofthehonourandhappinessofhisdaughteroutweighedanyregretathisruinedfortunes. Alllookedsopeacefulandhappy,therustlingtreesandthebroadsilentstretchofgrain-land,thatitwasdifficulttorealizethatthespiritofmurderlurkedthroughitall. Yetthewhitefaceandsetexpressionoftheyounghuntershowedthatinhisapproachtothehousehehadseenenoughtosatisfyhimuponthathead.
