It was a brilliant moonlight night, and he walked on under the majestic beauty of the firmament with quieted spirit.
Suddenly, as he had almost reached the wood, he heard rapid hoof-beats behind him and paused to listen, for it was a little-travelled road. Nearer and nearer they came, and then he could distinguish a white dress fluttering in the wind from the flying animal’s back and knew the rider must be a woman. The speed of the horse began to slacken as she was 208 almost upon him, and he saw that it was Gyp and Nancy!
She also had recognized him, and the next instant she sprang from the pony and stood beside him.
“Oh, Steve,” she panted, “they will kill you!” and stretched her shaking hands out to him. Her agitation was pitiable. Unconsciously he drew her instantly within his arms, while he said with equal unconsciousness:
“Why, Nancy, darling, what do you mean?”
For answer she dropped her head upon his breast and sobbed convulsively.
He held her close, stroking her face and soothing her with tenderest words of love till she was able to speak again.
“The moonshiners that father was to meet, Steve,––they are in the Greely wood, and they will think you are a revenue man and kill you sure,” she said brokenly. “You were going there, weren’t you?”
“Yes,” he said gravely.
“Father thought you would and sent me for you. Oh, it was dreadful, the terror of it,” she said shuddering and sobbing anew.