Trembling did I obey his stern command, and he bade me to take courage, to abandon all fear, and to follow him. The torches were extinguished, the robbers began to converse in an unintelligible accent, the horns were sounded, the whole troop set spurs to their horses, rushing over the fields like a midnight tempest; I felt myself seized by the arm, and my horse pulled by the bridle after them. After a short ride the voice of the terrible leader ordered us to halt.
"Here," said he to me, "is a gun and a whistle! The former thou art to use in case of necessity, and the latter as soon as a waggon or a coach passes the road."
This said, he rode away, but methought I heard another horseman not far from me.
Now I began to consult with myself what I should do, whether I should betray the innocent traveller, or suffer him to escape: My mind shrunk back from the horrid idea ofbecoming
