The Master of the Ceremonies

by George Manville Fenn

"they've half an hour'sstart nearly, and we shall not overtake them this stage. We must notblow our horses at the beginning. A steady trot for the first fewmiles, and then forward at a canter. It will be a long race."

  "Right, sir," cried the dragoon. "He's right, Mr Linnell. Take thelead, sir; my head's on fire."

  "Forward!" cried the Colonel; and away they went through the dark night,but with the chalky road making their way clear.

  After a mile or two the rapid swinging trot of the chargers grew into aregular military canter, and that, by an imperceptible change, into arapid gallop that was now kept up, for the excitement of the chase toldupon Mellersh, and his ideas of prudence as to husbanding the horses'powers were swept away as if by the keen wind that dashed by their ears.

  "I ought to check him," said Mellersh, as he toned down his excitementfor the minute; and then--"No, I cannot, for I must take that scoundrelby the throat."

  Volume Two, Chapter XXVI.

  THE END OF THE RACE.

  Colonel Mellersh was the only one who was likely to ride with a coolhead: the others were for racing at the top of the horses' speed. Andso it was that before long, as Richard Linnell sat well down and gavehis horse its head, James Bell, whom the ride was gradually sobering inone sense, but also making far more excited as he realised clearly theposition of his sister, shook his reins, pressed his horse's flanks withhis heels, and the brave beast began to almost fly. Naturally enough,the Colonel's steed pressed more heavily upon its bit, refusing, afterthe fashion of a cavalry horse, to be left behind, and forcing itselfbetween the other two, till the riders were knee to knee, and tearingalong as if in a desperate charge.

  "We're distressing the horses, Dick," said Mellersh, turning his head tohis right; but Bell heard him.

  "I'm sorry for the horses, sir; but they are his. Let them bedistressed."

  "We must overtake them," said Linnell between his teeth.

  "Right, sir, right," cried Bell. "Forward, Colonel. Please don't drawrein."

  Fortunately for them, the night grew a little lighter, and along thetreeless Down road they thundered. Every now and then one of the horsessnorted as the dust flew, but mile after mile was spurned beneath theirheels and they showed no sign of distress, but seemed to rejoice in thelong night gallop and the music of their clattering hoofs.

  The road was singularly silent and deserted; not so much as afoot-passenger was on the way, not a vehicle was seen.

  A gate at last came in view as they were breathing the horses up a hill,after riding for some distance without a word, the very silence tellingthe intensity of the men's feelings.

  Here was a check, for the gate was closed, and no light visible, butBell rode close up and kicked hard at the panel, till the door in thegatekeeper's hut was opened.

  "Now, then, quick!" cried Bell. "How long is it since a chaise and fourpassed?"

  "Chaise and four?" said the man surlily.

  "Yes, chaise and four. Has a chaise and four passed?"

  "What, to-night?"

  "Yes, to-night. Answer; quick, or--"

  He caught the man by the collar, and the evasion he was about to utterdid not pass his lips.

  "Yes," he growled; "one went by."

  "How long ago?" said the Colonel.

  "How long?"

  "Yes, yes. Quick, man, quick! and here's a crown for the toll. Keepthe change."

  This seemed to enliven the surly fellow's faculties, and he took themoney and rubbed his head as he began to unfasten the gate.

  "Well, how long?" cried the Colonel.

  "Long? Well a good bit ago, sir."

  "Yes, yes, but what do you mean by a good bit?"

  "Mebbe two hours--mebbe hour and a half. I've been asleep since."

  "Come along," cried the Colonel, who was as excited now as hiscompanions. "There's nothing more to be got from this lout."

  They left the man leaning on the gate, having gained nothing whatever bythe colloquy but a short breathing space for their horses, and thesecontinued their gallop the moment they were through.

  They passed a side road now and then, and at the first Linnell turned inhis saddle.

  "Is it likely that they will leave the main road?" he said.

  "No," was the prompt answer given by Bell, without waiting for theColonel to speak. "They're going west--far enough, I dare say--and theymust change their horses now and then. We shall hear of them atCheldon."

  Bell was right, for, when, at the end of another quarter of an hour,they cantered into the little post town, there was a light still burningin a lantern in the inn yard, and an ostler proved to be a little morecommunicative.

  Yes, a post-chaise--a yellow one--came in half an hour ago, and changedhorses and went on. Their horses were all in a muck sweat, and here wasone of the boys.

  A postboy came out of the tap, and stood staring.

  He knew nothing, he said, only that he and his mate had brought a partyfrom Saltinville.

  "A lady and gentleman?" said Linnell sharply.

  "I d'know," said the postboy. "I didn't ride the wheeler; I was on oneof the leaders."

  "But you must have seen?" cried Linnell angrily.

  "No; I didn't see nothing. I'd enough to do to look after my horses.Bad road and precious hilly 'bout here, sir."

  "Come along," cried Linnell angrily.

  "Walk your horses for a few minutes," said Mellersh quietly; and asLinnell and Bell went on he dismounted and thrust his hand into hispocket. "Just tighten these girths for me a little, will you, my man?"he said, turning to the postboy, and slipping a guinea into his hand.

  "Cert'ny, sir. Get a bit slack they do after a few miles canter.Steady, my lad. Nice horse, sir, that he is," continued the postboy,who was smooth civility itself. "Must be a pleasure to ride him."

  "Yes," said Mellersh, as the man went on talking and buckling with hishead supporting the saddle-flap. "You don't get such a nag as that fora leader, eh?"

  "No, sir, not likely. Fifteen pounders is about our cut. That one'sworth a hundred. All of a sweat he is, and yet not a bit blown. You'vecome fast, sir."

  "Yes; at a good rattling gallop nearly all the ten miles."

  "'Leven, sir, a good 'leven, and a bad road."

  "Is it, though?" said Mellersh quietly, as he prepared to mount again.

  "All that, sir."

  "Postboys' miles, eh?"

  "No, sir; honest miles. We'd charge twelve. Wouldn't you like themstirrups shortened two or three holes?" said the man eagerly.

  "No, thanks; no. I'm an old soldier, and we always ride with a longstirrup. Matter of use. Shall we catch them, do you think?"

  "What, with them horses, sir? Yes, easy. They've got a shocking badteam. They never have a decent change here. Lookye here, sir. You puton a decent canter, and you'll be up to them before they get to Drumley.The road's awful for wheels for about six miles; but when you get abouta mile on from here, you can turn off the road on the off-side, andthere's five miles of good, close turf for you where a chaise couldn'tgo, but there's plenty of room for a horse. Good-night, sir; thankye,sir. Good luck to you."

  Mellersh said "good-night" and cantered off after his companions, hissteed needing no urging to join its fellows.

  "Anyone would think that a guinea dissolved into golden oil and made aman's temper and his tongue run easily. I can't prove it, but I shouldnot be surprised if that was one of Rockley's own guineas. Odd.Running him down with his own horses, and his own coin. Well, hedeserves it all."

  "We're on the track right enough, Dick," he cried, as he overtookLinnell; Bell, in his impatience, being a couple of hundred yards ahead.

  "Are you sure? I don't understand this fellow. Why should he be soeager to overtake that scoundrel?"

  "Can't say. Puzzled me," replied Mellersh drily.

  "Is he leading us wrong?"

  "No. We are well on our way, and shall overtake them by the time theyreach the next posting house. Forward."

/>   Mellersh did not feel quite sure, but his confidence increased as hefound the postboy's words correct about the badness of the road, and thesmooth turf at the side, on to which they turned, and cantered alongeasily for mile after mile.

  Every now and then Bell burst forth with some fierce expletive, as if hecould not contain his rage; and they gathered that at times it wasagainst himself, at others against Rockley. As fierce a rage, too,burned in Linnell's breast, compounded of bitter hatred, jealousy, andmisery.

  He