Some trouble had come and through
his own caution, and the mercy of Providence that had kept him
away from the Gap, he had had his escape from death that day. He
would tempt that Providence no more, even by climbing back to his
horse in the waning light, and it was not until dusk had fallen
that he was leading the beast down the spur and into a ravine that
sank to the road. There he waited an hour, and when another
horseman passed he still waited a while. Cautiously then, with
ears alert, eyes straining through the darkness and Winchester
ready, he went down the road at a slow walk. There was a light in
the first house, but the front door was closed and the road was
deep with sand, as he knew; so he passed noiselessly. At the
second house, light streamed through the open door; he could hear
talking on the porch and he halted. He could neither cross the
river nor get around the house by the rear--the ridge was too
steep--so he drew off into the bushes, where he had to wait
another hour before the talking ceased. There was only one more
house now between him and the mouth of the creek, where he would
be safe, and he made up his mind to dash by it.
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