"Oh, but I'm going with you," she said positively.
"Like a thief, too? I could not permit that, you know. Just stop and think how awkward for you it would be if we were caught flying together."
"Birds of a feather. It might have been worse if you had not disposed of
Swallow."
"I must tell you what a genuine brick you are. If they overtake us it will give me the greatest delight in the world to fight the whole posse for your sake."
"After that, do you wonder I want to go with you?" she whispered, and
Crosby would have fought a hundred men for her.
The marshal and his men were now following Mr. Austin and the lantern toward the barn, and the road was quite deserted. Mrs. Delancy and Crosby started off rapidly in the direction of the town. The low rumble of distant thunder came to their ears, and ever and anon the western blackness was faintly illumined by flashes of lightning. Neither of the fugitives uttered a word until they were far past the gate.
"By George, Mrs. Delancy, we are forgetting one important thing," said Crosby. They were striding along swiftly arm in arm. "They'll discover our flight, and the railway station will be just where they'll expect to find us."
"Oh, confusion! We can't go to the station, can we?"
"We can, but we'll be captured with humiliating ease."
"I know what we can do. Scott Higgins is the tenant on my farm, and he lives half a mile farther from town than Austin. We can turn back to his place, but we will have to cut across one of Mr. Austin's fields."