He raised the girl to her saddle, but securely held the reins, while his father drew his knife across the throats of the two noble animals that had brought them there.
“You have those papers with you, old man, that give this fortune to Mary?”
“Yes.”
“Be certain, for I want no mistake.”
“I have them here in my pocket.”
“All right; come!” and at once the two villains set off at a rapid pace, their unfortunate captive between them.
But hardly had they disappeared from sight, when a dark form arose from behind a rock and muttered:
“I am glad I hid here to see who came for those horses; now to head them off.”
Darting through the thicket, the speaker soon came to where a horse stood awaiting him, and five minutes after he was riding swiftly along a rough trail leading up the valley.