her in despair.

Hearing the tread of horses close behind him, he looked round and saw
L'Isle's servants at his heels, watching him closely. The thought
struck him, that he might find these men useful. So, falling back
alongside of them, he said to L'Isle's man: "Do you know any thing of
the strange country we are going to now?"

The man looked around for a moment with a puzzled air, but perceiving
that Moodie was under some strange mistake, he merely said: "I am
following my master, and leave him to choose his own road."

"We are playing the game of follow your leader, Mr. Moodie," said the
groom, dipping into the dialogue. "The Colonel leads, and we are to
follow you know; and d----t, we will play out the game."

"But do you know that he is leading you to the land of the Moors?"

"If he is going to the land of the great Black-a-moor himself, we must
shut our eyes and gallop down hill. His country is said to lie in that
way."

Moodie muttered something about a son of Belial, but he wished to use
these men, and not offend them. So, turning to the groom, with grim
sociability, he asked: "Can you speak the language of the people
hereabouts?"

"I can call lustily for meat and drink, and make my wants known at a
pinch."