"I will carry her through the lines," I cried, "and see her safe in the hands of her aunt in Kent."
They hesitated, but the noise in front of the house told of the approaching mob, and there was no time for parley. So, true to my race, I acted quickly, and stooping from my saddle I caught her up gently and placed her on Toby before me.
"It is the only chance, lad. See that you carry her safely."
"I will carry her through or die," I replied with deep conviction. At the touch of the spur Toby sprang forward under his double burden.
"The creek," she cried.
"Yes; but we can swim it."
Indeed it was our only way, as the mob blocked the other roads of escape, so we rode boldly in and swam for the other side. The creek was several hundred yards wide, but Toby bore us bravely until we reached the southern shore, then he plunged forward, threw himself up the bank, and we were out of immediate danger.
There we halted for a moment under the shadow of a great tree and looked back across the water.
We heard the sound of many voices, the howling of the mob, and through the trunks of the trees flickered the glare of the torches. Suddenly shots rang out, a cry of dismay and rage followed, and then the flash of guns and a rattling volley crashed around the house.
"By Jove, he is fighting it out!" But the slender figure on my arm trembled, and I saw that her face was white through the darkness.