The shouting had brought men
running from the other sides of the house; a few of them were in time to
see the leap accomplished and to realise that Galloping Hermit had been
in their midst; others saw only a straggling group of horsemen at fault,
and looked in vain for the reason of the shouting. Lord Rosmore himself
was too surprised to give orders as quickly as he might have done, and
made up for the delay by swearing roundly at everybody about him.
"Fools! What are you waiting for?" he cried savagely. "There are more
ways into the wood than over that cursed fence."
He turned to one man and gave him quick instructions concerning the
watch to be kept on the Manor House, and then spurred his horse into the
wood after the mounted men who had already started in pursuit.
Either from actual knowledge, or conviction, the highwayman seemed to be
certain that at this spot the woods surrounding Lenfield Manor would not
be so carefully watched, that so stiff a fence would be deemed
sufficient to make escape that way impossible. To the right and left of
it, however, men were sure to be stationed; so, with a soothing word to
his horse, he plunged into the depths of the wood along a narrow track,
as one who knew his way perfectly and was acting on some preconceived
plan.
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