“The priest told me.”
“The priest!” he exclaimed, with scant respect. “I should like to know it for myself and trust my own eyes.”
I started and instinctively gathered up the reins again. What if she was not safe after all. Could the whole thing at Poabja be just a trick to get her from me?
I laughed suddenly; so suddenly that Karasch started and looked at me in surprise and some alarm.
“May I see the devil if I see a reason for laughing.”
But I did. I was laughing at the effect his words had had on me—at the tempting pretext they offered for continuing the journey. I could pretend that I was in doubt about her safety, and that that was the reason for my riding after her. I played with the thought; and then laughed again.
“Don’t be a fool, Karasch. She is quite safe, I tell you.”
“Have you ridden out thus far then at a wild gallop in order to see how dusty the roads are?”
“I suppose that’s about how it looks,” I laughed.
“That blow on your head has hurt you more than we thought.”