"Thank God, you're safe!" he cried. "Have you seen anything of them?"
"Of whom?" I asked, dismounting.
He drew us aside, that the grooms might not hear.
"Lad," he said to me, "you must not ride about here unless with half a dozen of us. You know among our men a tall young fellow, Bernenstein by name?"
I knew him. He was a fine, strapping young man, almost of my height, and of light complexion.
"He lies in his room upstairs, with a bullet through his arm."
"The deuce he does!"
"After dinner he strolled out alone, and went a mile or so into the wood; and as he walked he thought he saw three men among the trees; and one leveled a gun at him. He had no weapon, and he started at a run back toward the house. But one of them fired, and he was hit, and had much ado to reach here before he fainted. By good Suck, they feared to pursue him nearer the house."
He paused, and added:
