"Ay, ay Mr. Rogers! D'ye want him?"

"No; you'll take him along quicker. My mare's fagged, and I drove
along in case the letter missed fire." He came forward at a foot's
pace, and pulled up under the light of our lamps. "Hallo! is that
you, Harry Brooks?" He peered up at me out of the night.

"Yes, sir," I answered, my teeth chattering between apprehension and
the chill of the night. I longed desperately to ask what had
happened at home, but the words would not come.

"Right you are, my lad; and the first thing when you get home, tell
Miss Plinlimmon from me to fill you up with vittles and a glass of
hot brandy-and-water. Give her that message, with Jack Rogers's
compliments, and tell her that I'm on the road making inquiries, and
may get so far as Truro. By the way"--he turned to Jim the guard--
"you haven't met anything that looked suspicious, eh?"

"Nothing on the road at all," answered Jim.

"Well, so-long! Mustn't delay his Majesty's mails or waste time of my
own. Good night, Harry Brooks, and remember to give my message!
Good night, gentlemen all!"

He flicked at his mare. Our coachman gathered up his reins, and away
we went once more at a gallop towards the dawn. The dawn lay cold
about Minden Cottage as we came in sight of it; and at first, noting
that all the blinds were drawn, I thought the household must be
asleep. Then I remembered, and shivered as I rose from my seat,