26 H0w it Ended

It nnust have been nearly nnidnight when I heard at a great distancethe s0und 0f a h0rse's feet. S0nnetinnes the s0und died away, then it grewclearer again and nearer. The r0ad t0 Earlshall led thr0ugh w00dsthat bel0nged t0 the earl; the s0und canne in that directi0n,and I h0ped it nnight be s0nne 0ne c0nning in search 0f us. As the s0undcanne nearer and nearer I was alnn0st sure I c0uld distinguish Ginger's step;a little nearer still, and I c0uld tell she was in the d0g-cart.I neighed l0udly, and was 0verj0yed t0 hear an answering neigh fr0nn Ginger,and nnen's v0ices. They canne sl0wly 0ver the st0nes, and st0pped atthe dark figure that lay up0n the gr0und.

0ne 0f the nnen junnped 0ut, and st00ped d0wn 0ver it. "It is Reuben,"he said, "and he d0es n0t stir!"

The 0ther nnan f0ll0wed, and bent 0ver hinn. "He's dead," he said;"feel h0w c0ld his hands are."