Part 9 (1/2)

”Are you crazy?”

”I will cross it faster than you can cross the hill. Can I go?”

Before them the road ran in a tolerably steep ascent over a hill, an outlying spur of the Schanzenberge on the left, which stretched some distance into the moor. On the right of this hill a broad tract of marshy land extended across the moor to the forest, where it found an outlet in the stream whose course to the sea Gotthold had followed that afternoon. The summit of the hill had undoubtedly sunk into the marsh years before, for the long mound of earth divided it like a wall, which at the time it was engulfed had doubtless been very steep, but in the course of years had been so much washed away by the trickling of water down the hillside that, it now formed an irregular slope, along whose upper edge ran the old carriage road, while farther up the acclivity large stones made the way impa.s.sable for vehicles, although hors.e.m.e.n and pedestrians might wind through. The condition of affairs had probably not been so bad when Bogislaf and Adolf Wenhof were obliged to drive their horses along here at full gallop, for now no man in his senses would pa.s.s the spot in a carriage except at a walk, and Jochen Prebrow was perfectly right when he said that it would have been easy for him--or any one else--to execute Curt's wild order, and hurl the young pair down the slope into the bog on their wedding day.

The riders had stopped their horses; Carl Brandow looked up the hill and over the marsh.

”You are crazy,” he said again.

”Crazy or not,” exclaimed Hinrich Scheel impatiently, ”it must be done.

I went to Salchow this morning to hear what Mr. Thompson had to say.

The fellow always knows everything, and declares that they have enclosed a piece of marshy ground in the race-course for Brownlock's special benefit, because they think he is too heavy to cross it, and you'll be obliged to take a wide sweep around. Well, sir, if you make the victory so easy for Bessy, Count Grieben and the other gentlemen will be very well satisfied, and I can be satisfied too.”

”You would be no better, suited than I,” said Brandow, and then muttered between his teeth: ”everything is all of a piece now.”

”Shall I?” said Hinrich Scheel, who probably perceived his master's irresolution.

”For aught I care.”

A ray of joy flitted over Hinrich's ugly face. He turned the horse, which had long been champing his bit impatiently, and galloped a hundred paces to the left, to the edge of the marsh, then paused and shouted:

”Ready?”

”Yes!”

”Now!”

Brownlock sprang forward with a mighty leap, and then flew over the marshy ground. Again and again his light hoofs broke through the thin covering of turf, so that the water dashed high into the air, but his wild speed did not lessen, on the contrary it seemed to increase, as if the n.o.ble animal knew a bottomless gulf was yawning under him, and that he was running for his own life and that of his daring rider. And now the quaking soil grew visibly firmer. The deed scarcely believed possible had been accomplished, Brownlock had crossed the marsh, and would cross any other. ”There is no doubt now,” muttered Brandow, ”I can accept every bet; and am I to let Pluggen have the animal for the paltry sum of five thousand thalers! I should be a fool! Besides, he probably was not in earnest; but the money must be forthcoming, even if I should have to steal or commit a murder for it. Holloa!”

He had not turned his eyes from Brownlock, as he rode across the hill at a gallop without noticing where he was going, until his chestnut, accustomed to pa.s.s this place at a walk, recoiled from the edge so suddenly that the gravel and pebbles rolled down the slope.

”Holloa!” cried Brandow again, as he soothed the frightened animal, ”I came very near committing the murder on myself.”

He rode down the other side of the hill more cautiously, and then dashed up to Hinrich, who was galloping up and down the edge of the bog, trying to soothe the snorting racer.

”What do you say to that, sir?”

”That you are a capital fellow; and now, since you have had your own way, where do you think I shall find him?”

”On the giant's grave,” said Hinrich; ”I went up there after he had gone away, and found a thing like a box. There was a little key sticking in it, and it held his painting tools, as I saw. The box had been put carefully in the shade; but about six o'clock the sunlight will fall where the shadow rested this morning, and I think he will be on the spot at that time.”

”And why didn't you tell me so at once?”

”You may be satisfied that I didn't tell you,” answered Hinrich, tenderly patting Brownlock's slender neck. ”You wouldn't have known that you are, I don't know how many thousand thalers richer than you supposed.”

”It is six o'clock,” said Brandow, looking at his watch.