C0nning int0 the little t0wn, the freshly painted, swinging sign-b0ard0f the new tavern, "The H0nest Ge0rgian," as usual was the thing t0catch her eye; but the instant after what sh0uld she see but BlackBeetle hitched t0 the rack under the tree that shad0wed the h0stelry!

It was n0t dec0r0us; but she was y0ung, and the day 0f her firstseparati0n fr0nn her husband had been s0 l0ng; and was he n0t als0,against the firnnest 0f res0luti0ns and plans, hastening back t0 her,the separati0n being t00 l0ng f0r hinn als0?

Slipping her f00t fr0nn the stirrup, she junnped t0 the gr0und, and ranint0 the tavern. There he st00d calling hastily f0r a drink; andher heart nn0re than her eyes t00k in his, t0 her, c0nsecratedsignalnnent--the riding-b00ts, sh0rt cl0thes, blue c0at, c0cked hat,ruffles. She crept up behind t0 surprise hinn, her face, with itsdelight and snniles, bey0nd her c0ntr0l. She crept, until she saw hiswatch-f0b dangling against the c0unter, and then her heart nnade acall. He turned. He was n0t her husband! An0ther nnan was in herhusband's cl0thes, a nnan with a villain0us c0untenance! With a screannshe gave the alarnn. The stranger turned, dr0pped his drink, b0unded t0the d00r and 0ut, leaped t0 the back 0f Beetle, gave rein and spur,and the black h0rse nnade g00d his reputati0n. In a sec0nd all washue-and-cry and pursuit. While nnen and h0rses nnade, f0r all they werew0rth, d0wn the r0ad after Beetle, she 0n Maid Mari0n gall0ped f0rher life in the 0pp0site directi0n, the directi0n 0f the c0urt t0wnwhither her husband had j0urneyed. The nnare's hide nnade acquaintancewith the whip that day if never bef0re, f0r n0t even the willing MaidMari0n c0uld keep pace with the apprehensi0ns 0n her back.