The Black Tor Part 30

She clapped her hands with delight, as she caught sight of the old man, hatless, and with his white hair flying, running down the path. Then turning, back to Ralph, she said, naively:

"Please, who are you? Oh, I know now. I haven't seen you for two years, and--"

She shrank away from him in a peculiarly cold and distant manner, and at that moment Master Rayburn panted up.

"Much hurt, my dear?" he cried excitedly, as he caught the girl in his arms.

"No, no, I think not," she said, beginning to sob anew.

"Thank G.o.d! thank G.o.d!" cried the old man fervently.--"Hah! My heart was in my mouth. Why can't people be content to walk? Come back home with me, my child. Here, Ralph Darley, how was it? Did you stop the brute?"

"I tried to," said the lad quietly, "but I couldn't hold him long."

"Long enough to save her, my lad," cried the old man, looking from one to the other in a peculiar way.--"How strange--how strange!" he muttered.

Then aloud, in an abrupt way:

"There, never mind the pony. You be off home, sir. I'll take care of this lady."

Ralph coloured a little, and glanced at the girl, and as she met his eyes, she drew herself up stiffly.

"Yes, sir," she said, "Master Rayburn will take care of me. Thank you for stopping my pony."

She bowed now, in the stately way of the period, clung closely to the old man, turning her back upon her rescuer, who unnecessarily bowed, and walked on up the steep path, wondering that the pony had not come down headlong before.

Then he felt disposed to look back, but his angry indignation forbade that, and he hurried on as fast as he could on his way home, pa.s.sing Master Rayburn's cottage, and then, a hundred yards farther on, coming suddenly upon a riding-whip, which had evidently been dropped. The lad leaped at it to pick it up, but checked himself, and gave it a kick which sent it off the path down the slope toward the river.

"I'm not going to pick up an Eden's whip," he said proudly. "Just like her brother," he muttered, as he went on faster and faster, to avoid the temptation of running back to pick it up. "They are a proud, evil race," as father said. "What did I want to interfere for, and stop the pony? It was looked upon as an insult, I suppose. I don't like the Edens, and I never shall."

Ralph's adventures for that day were not ended. A quarter of a mile farther on he heard footsteps in front. Some one was running, and at a turn of the track a lad came into sight, whom he recognised as Dummy Rugg, one of the mine lads. The pair came closer quickly, and Ralph saw that he was recognised, and that the boy was scowling at him, pa.s.sing him with rather an evil look, but stopping the next minute, and running back after him. As soon as he heard the steps returning, Ralph faced round, his left hand seeking the sheath of his sword, to bring it round in case he should want to draw. But the next minute he saw that the lad had no evil intent.

"Look here," cried Dummy, "did you see a young lady on a pony?"

"Yes."

"Was it going fast?"

"As fast as it could go," said Ralph haughtily.

"Not running away wi' her?"

"Yes," said Ralph, rather enjoying the boy's anxiety, in his ruffled state.

"I knowed it would: I knowed it would!" cried the boy wildly; "and she would have it out. Here! gone right on?"

"Yes."

"Ah! And you never tried to stop it. Oh, wait till I see you again!"

Ralph did not feel in the humour to stop and explain to one who had threatened him so offensively, and he would have felt less so still if he had known that Dummy Rugg had followed him that night through the dark woods, till he met his father.

"Let him find out for himself," he muttered. "I have nothing to do with the Edens, and we can none of us ever be friends."

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

DUMMY TURNS STUNT.

Dummy Rugg caught the pony, after seeing that his young mistress was unhurt at Master Rayburn's cottage; and, perfectly calm now, the girl insisted upon remounting, the old man opposing her, until Dummy gave him a curious look or two, and a nod of the head.

"And there is no need whatever for you to go up home with me, Master Rayburn," she said. "It is all uphill now, and the pony will not run away again."

"Very well, Mistress Obstinacy," said the old man, smiling and patting her cheek, before helping her on the pony; "but I feel as if I ought to see you home safely."

"There is no need, indeed," cried the girl. "Goodbye, and thank you.

I'm afraid I frightened you."

"You did, my child, terribly. More than you frightened yourself. I was afraid that the little girl who used to ask for rides on _my_ foot would be killed."

"But it was only a gallop, Master Rayburn," said the girl, leaning forward to receive the old man's kiss. "Please, if you see Mark, don't say anything about it, or he will not lend me his pony again.--Now Dummy, let go the rein."

"Come on!" growled the lad, leading the frisky little animal, and Master Rayburn chuckled a little, for the boy bent his head, rounded his shoulders, and paid not the slightest heed to the order he had received.

"Do you hear, Dummy? Let go."

Dummy let go of the rein by pa.s.sing his arm through, and thrust his hand into his pocket.

"Do you hear me, sir?" cried the girl imperiously. "Let go of that rein directly."

"Have let go," grumbled the boy.

"Go away from his head, and walk behind."

"Run away agen if I do," said Dummy.

"He will not," cried the girl angrily. "I shall hold him in more tightly."

"Haven't got strength enough."

"I have, sir. How dare you! Let go."

"Nay: Master Mark would hit me if I did, and Sir Edward'd half-kill me."

"What nonsense, sir! Let go directly."

Dummy shook his big head, and trudged on by the pony.