almost upon me, when I cantered quickly on, fearing to arouse his
apprehensions if I allowed him to pass me on a road so solitary as
that which now stretched out before us: a move provocative of much
embarassment to me, as I dared not turn my head for the same reason,
anxious as I was to keep him in sight.

The roads dividing before me, at length gave me my first opportunity
to pause and look back. He was some fifty paces behind. Waiting till
he came up, I bowed with the surly courtesy I thought in keeping with
the character I had assumed, and asked if he knew which road led
towards Perry, saying I had come off in such haste I had forgotten to
inquire my way. He returned my bow, pointed towards the left hand
road and saying, "I know this does not," calmly took it.

Now here was a dilemma. If in face of this curt response I proceeded
to follow him, my hand was revealed at once; yet the circumstances
would admit of no other course. I determined to compromise matters by
pretending to take the right hand road till he was out of sight, when
I would return and follow him swiftly upon the left. Accordingly I
reined my horse to the right, and for some fifteen minutes galloped
slowly away towards the north; but another fifteen saw me facing the
west, and riding with a force and fury of which I had not thought the
old mare they had given me capable, till I put her to the test. It was
not long before I saw my fine gentleman trotting in front of me up a
long but gentle slope that rose in the distance; and slackening my
own rein, I withdrew into the forest at the side of the road, till he
had passed its summit and disappeared, when I again galloped forward.

And thus we went on for an hour, over the most uneven country I ever
traversed, he always one hill ahead; when suddenly, by what instinct