"Where are you going to take me to-night?"
"To Dickenson's," replied Desborough. "You must step out you know. It will be for your own good, for I must get there to-night."
Two or three miles further were got over, when Hawker said abruptly,—
"Look here, Captain, I want to talk to you."
"You had better not," said Desborough. "I don't want to have any communication with you, and every word you say will go against you."
"Bah!" said Hawker. "I must swing. I know that. I shan't make any defence. Why, the devils out of hell would come into court against me if I did. But I want to ask you a question or two. You haven't got the character of being a brutal fellow, like O——. It can't hurt you to answer me one or two things, and ease my mind a bit."
"God help you, unhappy man;" said Desborough. "I will answer any questions you ask."
"Well, then, see here," said Hawker, hesitating. "I want to know—I want to know first, how you got round before me?"
"Is that all?" said Desborough. "Well, I came round over Broad-saddle, and got a fresh horse at the Parson's."
"Ah!" said Hawker. "That young fellow I shot down when you were after me, is he dead?"