“Sit still! you’re all right!” shouted Lenman, striking his horses with the whip. They broke into a trot3, and a few minutes later entered the dense4 wood, where they were safe from the danger that threatened them a moment before. Indeed, the volley of wind was as brief as a discharge of musketry, passing instantly, though it still howled through the wood, with a dismal5 effect, which made all heartily6 wish they were somewhere else.
It was so dark that, but for the flashes of lightning, the passengers would have been unable to see each other’s forms; but the horses were so familiar with the route that they needed no guidance. The driver allowed them to walk, while he held the lines taut7 to check them on the instant it might be necessary.
Wagstaff and McGovern climbed forward, and crowded themselves on the seat beside the New Englander, each firmly grasping his rifle, for, as they advanced into the wood, their thoughts were of the criminal who they believed would challenge them before they could reach the other side.
Still the rain held off, though the lightning was almost incessant8 and continually showed the way in front. The wind, too, abated9, and all began to breathe more freely.
“I guess the robber won’t dare show himself to-night,” said Wagstaff, speaking rather his wish than his belief.
“What’s to hinder him?” asked Ethan Durrell.
“The storm.”
“It’s just what is in his favor—hulloa!”
“Gracious! what’s the matter?” gasped11 Wagstaff, as the team suddenly halted, of their own accord; “let’s get out.”
“Something’s wrong,” replied Lenman; “don’t speak or make any noise; we’ll soon know what it is.”
While waiting for the flash of lightning to illuminate12 the gloom, it never seemed so long coming. A short time before the gleams were continuous, but now the gloom was like that of Egypt as the seconds dragged along.
No one spoke13, but all eyes were fixed14 on the impenetrable darkness in front, while every ear was strained to catch some sound beside the soughing of the wind among the trees.
All at once, as if the overwhelming storehouse of electricity could contain itself no longer, the whole space around, in front and above was lit up by one dazzling flame, which revealed everything with the vividness of a thousand noonday suns.
By its overpowering glare the figure of a man on horseback was seen motionless in the middle of the road, less than twenty feet distant. He knew of the presence of some one in his path, and he, too, was awaiting the help of the lightning before advancing.
“That’s him,’” whispered Tom Wagstaff; “shall we shoot?”
Ethan Durrell felt the seat tremble under the youth, while the others noticed the quaver in his voice.
“No,” replied the driver; “he hasn’t done nothin’ yet; wait till he hails us.”
“That may be too late, but all right.”
“Helloa, Bill, is that you?” came from the horseman.
“Yes; who are you?” called back the driver.
“Don’t you know me, Hank Babcock?” called the other, with a laugh.
“I sort of thought it was you, Hank, but wasn’t sure.”
“You can be sure of it now; wait a minute till I get out of your way; I’ll turn aside and let you pass.”
Everything was quiet for a moment, except the wind, the snuffing of his horse, and the sound of his hoofs15, as he was forced with some trouble close to the trees which grew near the highway.
“Now, it’s all right; go ahead,” called Hank Babcock.
Lenman spoke to his animals and they moved forward. When opposite the horseman, another flash revealed him sitting astride the animal, a few feet to one side. He called a cheery good-night as he drew back, after the stage had passed, and continued his course.
“Driver,” said Wagstaff, when they were moving again; “where is the spot you thought it likely we would meet him?”
“We’re close to it now; you notice the road goes down a little, but not enough for me to put on the brake; have your shootin’ irons ready, for, somehow or other, I feel in my bones that you’ll need ’em.”
“Where’s that chap that was here a minute ago?” asked Jim, with as much tremor16 in his voice as his friend.
“Who’s that?” asked the driver.
“That Yankee that was sitting right here; he’s gone!”
“I guess not,” replied the driver, reaching back his hand and groping vaguely17 around; “he must be there.”
“He isn’t; he was here, but he’s missing.”
“Maybe he got so scared he took the back seat,” suggested Tom, who held his rifle in his left hand, while he passed his right through the vacancy18 in the rear of the stage; “no, I’ll be hanged if he is there; he isn’t in the stage.”
“No, but I felt him; he was sitting right alongside of us, when something brushed past me and he was gone—there!”
Once more the lightning brought everything out with intense distinctness, and all saw that there were only three instead of four persons in the stage.
The New Englander was missing: what had become of him?
“I guess he was scared,” suggested Wagstaff, with a weak attempt to screw up his courage; “and preferred to hide among the trees rather than run the risk of meeting that stranger—”
“Sh!” interrupted the driver, “there’s somebody ahead of us in the road; the horses see him; be ready and remember that if you miss it’s sure death—”
At that moment the most startling cry that could fall upon their ears rang from the gloom in front:
“Hands up, every one of you!”
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1
tornado
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| n.飓风，龙卷风 | |
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2
exclamations
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| n.呼喊( exclamation的名词复数 )；感叹；感叹语；感叹词 | |
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3
trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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4
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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5
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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6
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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7
taut
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| adj.拉紧的，绷紧的，紧张的 | |
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8
incessant
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| adj.不停的，连续的 | |
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9
abated
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| 减少( abate的过去式和过去分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼） | |
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10
outright
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| adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的 | |
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11
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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12
illuminate
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| vt.照亮，照明；用灯光装饰；说明，阐释 | |
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13
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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14
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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15
hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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16
tremor
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| n.震动，颤动，战栗，兴奋，地震 | |
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17
vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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18
vacancy
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| n.（旅馆的）空位，空房，（职务的）空缺 | |
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19
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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