"
"'Tis well," said Lawton, gloomily. "Ah! Hollister, I would give the
animal I ride, to have had your single arm between the wretch who drew
that trigger and these useless rocks, which overhang every bit of
ground, as if they grudged pasture to a single hoof."
"Under the light of day, and charging man to man, I am as good as
another; but I can't say that I'm overfond of fighting with those that
neither steel nor lead can bring down."
"What silly crotchet is uppermost, now, in that mystified brain of
thine, Deacon Hollister?"
"I like not the dark object that has been maneuvering in the skirt of
the wood since the first dawn of day; and twice, during the night, it
was seen marching across the firelight, no doubt with evil intent."
"Is it yon ball of black, at the foot of the rock maple, that you mean?
In truth it moves."
"But without mortal motion," said the sergeant, regarding it with awful
reverence. "It glides along, but no feet have been seen by any who
watch here."
"Had it wings," cried Lawton, "it is mine; stand fast, until I join."
The words were hardly uttered before Roanoke was flying across the
plain, and apparently verifying the boast of his master.
"Those cursed rocks!" ejaculated the trooper, as he saw the object of
his pursuit approaching the hillside; but, either from want of practice
or from terror, it passed the obvious shelter they offered, and fled
into the open plain.
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