Free Storm Music (1934) by Dornford Yates Page B

set her on her feet in the tunnel I heard the Count calling her name.
    "Helena! Helena!"
    I hauled myself out of the water to stand by her side.
    The tunnel seemed without end. It was dark and damp and noisome and ran uphill, and I was more than thankful when after five or six minutes I saw the faint light of the evening and found the air more fresh. The mouth of the tunnel was masked by a riot of under- growth, but when we were clear of this screen I saw at once that we stood due north of the castle, a biscuit's throw from the meadows from which it rose.
    We pushed on breathlessly ...
    We had covered half the distance when Helena caught my arm and stopped in her tracks.
    Somebody was whistling— not very far away, whistling as though to bring a dog to his heels ...
    Then we heard Pharaoh's voice.
    "Good dog." he cried. "Good dog."
    The man was out in the meadows, somewhere between the bridge and the Plumage ride. In a flash I saw what had happened. Sabre had left the castle, and Pharaoh had seen him go. The porter, no doubt, had told him that that was the Countess' dog, and the fellow had guessed in an instant that Sabre's instinct was leading him to his mistress, wherever she was, and so he had followed Sabre, but had lost him because it was dark ...
    "Come on," said I. "Now that he's lost Sabre, he hasn't a chance."
    "If he hears the horses," breathed Helena. . . .
    As we stumbled into the ride, I found the dog padding beside us. He may have been there for five minutes for all I know. And there was Axel waiting ten minutes before his time.
    "Good dog," cried Pharaoh. "Good dog."
    I judged the man to be fifty paces away.
    In a flash I had Helena up on the lively grey.
    As she stooped to whisper to Axel I turned to the other horse, but, perhaps because he was startled, he would not stand. As I swung myself up he backed sideways against the grey, and before I could find my right stirrup its dangling iron had clashed with that of Helena's, making a ringing sound.
    The whistle which Pharaoh was letting out suddenly stopped.
    I heard the man running towards us as we turned the horses about.
    And then we were both sitting down and riding for Plumage as hard as ever we could.
    We dared not spare the horses— the hunt was up.
    The going was perfect and both of us knew the course, but to ride fast was taking a fearful risk, for we could see nothing at all, except that the darkness seemed denser on either side. And we had to depend on that difference to keep us straight. Then at last the
    stars were above us and we were out in the meadows, three furlongs away from the farm.
    As we came to the apron—
    "I'll take the horses," said Helena. 'You go and get your things."
    As she caught my bridle, I flung myself off the bay ...
    In my bedroom I wasted no time, but snatched up a razor and seized the first clothes I found; yet ere I was back the horses were fast in the stables and Helena was returning to take her seat in the Rolls.
    As I started the engine "And Sabre?" I said.
    "We can't wait. It— it can't be helped."
    Desperately I switched on the headlights, to see the Alsatian some twenty five paces away. With a sob of relief my lady flung open a door. . . .
    Thirty seconds later the Rolls slid over the bridge.

    I HAD often read and heard speak of "an agony of apprehension," but never until that evening, when our headlights sent darkness packing out of that lovely lane, had I understood that terrible state of mind. Then all at once the truth stood clear before me, and something more sinister than fear took hold of my heart.
    The lane was no lane, but a trap— full two miles long. Once we were in we could no more turn the Rolls round than a man that was buried could turn himself round in his grave: only the smallest of cars could ever have passed each other, and if Pharaoh arrived at its mouth while we were yet in its straits our case from being desperate would be past hope.
    I set my teeth, and we took the rise before us with the