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“Icanhardlyrealizehowlongthispursuitafteranunseenpreylasted；IcanonlyrememberthatIwasgettingratherfaintwithfatigue，andignominiouslyheldontomypommel，whenallofasuddentheblackoutlineofasleighmergedintosightinfrontofus。
“Irubbedmysmartingeyeswithmybenumbedhand；weweregaininguponitsecondbysecond；twoofthosehellhoundsofthebaron’swerealreadywithinafewleapsofit。
“SoonIwasabletomakeouttwofigures，onestandingupandurgingthehorsesonwithwhipandvoice，theotherclingingtothebackseatandlookingtowardusinanattitudeofterror。Agreatfearcreptintomyhalf-frozenbrain——werewenotbringingdeadlydangerinsteadofhelptothesetravelers？GreatGod！didthebaronmeantousethemasabaitforhisnewmethodofwolfhunting？
“IwouldhaveturneduponKossowskiwithacryofexpostulationorwarning，buthe，urgingonhishoundsashegallopedontheirflank，howlingandgesticulatinglikeaveritableHun，passedmebylikeaflash——andallatonceIknew。“
Marshfieldpausedforamomentandsenthispalesmilerounduponhislisteners，whonowshowednosignsofsleepiness；heknockedtheashfromhiscigar，twistedthelatterroundinhismouth，andaddeddryly:
“AndIconfessitseemedtomealittlestrongevenforabaronintheCarpathians。Thetravelerswereourquarry。ButthereasonwhytheLordofYanyhadturnedman-hunterIwasyettolearn。
JustthenIhadtodirectmyenergiestofrustratinghisplans。I
usedmyspursmercilessly。WhileIdrewupevenwithhimIsawthetwofiguresinthesleighchangeplaces；hewhohadhithertodrivennowfacedback，whilehiscompaniontookthereins；therewasthepalebluesheenofarevolverbarrelunderthemoonlight，followedbyayellowflash，andthenearesthoundrolledoverinthesnow。
“Withanoaththebarontwistedroundinhissaddletocallupandurgeontheremainder。Myhorsehadtakenfrightatthereportanddashedirresistiblyforward，bringingmeatoncealmostlevelwiththefugitives，andthenextinstanttherevolverwasturnedmenacinglytowardme。Therewasnotimetoexplain；mypistolwasalreadydrawn，andasanotherofthebrutesboundedup，almostundermyhorse’sfeet，Iloosedituponhim。Imusthaveletoffbothbarrelsatonce，fortheweaponflewoutofmyhand，butthehound’sbackwasbroken。Ipresumethetravelerunderstood；atanyrate，hedidnotfireatme。
“Inmomentsofintenseexcitementlikethese，strangelyenough，themindisextraordinarilyopentoimpressions。Ishallneverforgetthatman’scountenanceinthesledge，ashestooduprightanddefiedusinhismortaldanger；itwasyoung，veryhandsome，thefeaturesnotdistorted，butsetintoasortofdesperate，stonycalm，andIknewit，beyondalldoubt，forthatofanEnglishman。
AndthenIsawhiscompanion——itwasthebaron’swife。AndI
understoodwhythebellshadbeenremoved。
“Ittakesalongtimetosaythis；itonlyrequiredaninstanttoseeit。Theloudexplosionofmypistolhadhardlyceasedtoringbeforethebaron，withafearfulimprecation，wasuponme。Firsthelashedatmewithhiswhipaswetorealongsidebyside，andthenIsawhimwindthereinsroundhisoffarmandbendover，andIfelthisangryfingersclosetightlyonmyrightfoot。ThenextinstantIshouldhavebeenliftedoutofmysaddle，buttherecameanothershotfromthesledge。Thebaron’shorseplungedandstumbled，andthebaron，hangingontomyfootwithafiercegrip，waswrenchedfromhisseat。Hishorse，however，wasupagainimmediately，andIwasreleased，andthenIcaughtaconfusedglimpseofthefrightenedandwoundedanimalgallopingwildlyawaytotheright，leavingablacktrackofbloodbehindhiminthesnow，hismaster，entangledinthereins，runningwithincredibleswiftnessbyhissideandendeavoringtovaultbackintothesaddle。
“Andnowcametopassaterriblethingwhich，inhissavageplans，myhosthaddoubtlessneveranticipated。
“Oneofthehoundsthathadduringthisshortcheckrecoveredlostground，comingacrossthishottrailofblood，turnedawayfromhiscourse，andwithajoyousyelldartedaftertherunningman。Inanotherinstanttheremainderofthepackwasuponthenewscent。
“AssoonasIcouldstopmyhorse，Itriedtoturnhiminthedirectionthenewchasehadtaken，butjustthen，throughthenightair，
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