I felt the
horses quiver, for the motion was communicated to me by the reins I held
in my hands, but they were admirably trained animals, and did not move
to the right or the left, only the younger one, a bay filly, snorted
loudly. Louis sat silent and motionless, his revolver still pointing at
the highwayman.
"I scarcely breathed, but in all my life I never thought with such
lightning rapidity. My whole household over here was distinct before me,
with my husband and the children, and what they would do on getting the
cablegram saying 'waylaid and murdered.'
"I thought of a myriad things. I remember, amongst others, that it
worried me to think that an over-charge of five shillings from Perkins
for fowl, which my husband had just written to ask about, would now be
paid because I could never explain that the pair of chickens had been
returned. All this time--only a moment or two, you know--I was expecting
instant death, while Louis and the horses remained motionless.
"The smoke from the revolver slowly cleared away; a bat, startled by the
noise, flapped against my face, and we saw the highwayman seated on his
horse, standing immovable where he was, his right arm stretching out
towards us with the same deadly aim.
"'If that man is mortal, he should have dropped,' said Louis softly.
'Both bullets struck him.'
"We waited a moment longer. The figure remained as before.
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