Then he sprang to the mare's back, and, lifting Jaquelina before him, galloped quickly away through the increasing darkness and the rain, which now began to pour down in large, heavy drops, that speedily wet the girl's thin garments through and through.
Jaquelina was beside herself with terror and fear of the ruffian who held her in that rough, tight clasp.
A thousand conflicting thoughts rushed over her mind.
She thought of her Uncle Charlie, to whom the loss of Black Bess would be so severe at the present time; she thought of the sick child at home, and of the hard, selfish woman who had sent her forth to encounter this terrible peril.
Every moment while she was borne onward in the storm and darkness seemed an eternity of time to her bewildered mind.
She had no idea where she was going, or in what direction. The gloom and darkness hid every object from her view, and she was too terrified to reason clearly.
At last they stopped. Jaquelina felt herself lifted down from the mare's back, and borne rapidly in Bowles' arms along what seemed to be a perfectly dark passage-way, long and winding. The wind and rain had ceased to blow in her face, and a damp, earthy smell pervaded the atmosphere.
Jaquelina instantly decided that they were in a cave, of which there were several in the neighborhood of her home.
Presently her captor paused, and gave a low, peculiar whistle, several times repeated.
"Enter!" she heard a deep, musical voice exclaim.