‘Mazeppa,’ I said to myself, ‘this mercy of thine is a deep-laid scheme. This chance of life, for which I thanked thee, is no chance!’
I sat down by the roadside and thought for my life. Shadrach stood by with heaving flanks and head held low; his eyes dull, his mouth distressed with foam. ‘You shall carry me to yonder wood,’ I said, ‘and then farewell, old friend, for a while!’
The road, half a league further on, became a rutty forest track, dark overhead, and running through dense rows of large trees.
I tied Shadrach to a stump, well off the road, first emptying my saddle-bags. There was a coil of thin rope among other things. I never went without this, in case I should require it, in emergency, for halter, spare bridle, or for a thousand possible purposes. It should do me a good turn this day!
I now took the rope and fastened it across the track at a few inches above the ground, passing it from tree to tree so that the first horse coming this way must inevitably trip and fall.
Then I hid myself behind a bush close at hand, and waited.
CHAPTER XXXVII
My advantage of an hour, if it had been honestly accorded me, must have been greatly shortened by poor Shadrach’s malady, for before I had waited half an hour I heard the sound of hoofs, and presently there came in sight Kostigin, one of our Cossacks, mounted upon his splendid horse, which I well knew as one of the few rivals of my Shadrach for speed and endurance. I was sorry to see so fine an animal rushing down to possible injury. If either must be seriously hurt, I would rather it were Kostigin; but there was no help for it, and the beast must run the risk to earn my safety.
Nearer came Kostigin, urging his horse. He rode as though he were riding a great race, sitting firm and square and his eyes fixed upon a distant point as though he hoped to catch sight each moment of my fleeting figure.
Nearer they came, the good horse Ajax breathing audibly, but going strongly. Then of a sudden he reached and tripped over my string-trap, and in an instant Kostigin was flying among the trees and poor Ajax rolling over and over among pine needles.