The eyes of the adventurer sparkled at the invitation. Colonel Preston had fallen into the trap he had laid for him, but he thought it best not to accept too eagerly. "You are certainly very kind, Colonel Preston," he answered, with affected hesitation, "but I am afraid I shall be troubling you too much." "No trouble whatever," said Colonel Preston, heartily. "It is a lonely ride, and I shall be glad of a companion." "A lonely ride, is it?" thought Fairfax. "All the better for my purpose. It shall not be my fault if I do not come back with my pockets well lined. The dividends you have just collected will be better in my pockets than in yours." This was what he thought, but he said: "Then I will accept with pleasure. I suppose I can easily engage someone to bring me back to Melville?" "Oh, yes; we have a livery stable, where you can easily obtain a horse and driver." The dinner proceeded, and Fairfax made himself unusually social and agreeable, so that Colonel Preston congratulated himself on the prospect of beguiling the loneliness of the way in such pleasant company. Fairfax spoke of stocks with such apparent knowledge that the colonel imagined him to be a gentleman of large property. It is not surprising that he was deceived, for the adventurer really understood the subject of which he spoke, having been for several years a clerk in a broker's counting-room in Wall Street. The loss of his situation was occasioned by his abstraction of some securities, part of which he had disposed of before he was detected. He was, in consequence, tried and sentenced to three years' imprisonment. At the end of this period he was released, with no further taste for an honest life, and had since allied himself to the class who thrive by preying upon the community. This was the man whom Colonel Preston proposed to take as his companion on his otherwise lonely ride home. CHAPTER XVIII RIDING WITH A HIGHWAYMAN "Get into the chaise, Mr. Fairfax," said Colonel Preston. "Thank you," said the adventurer, and accepted the invitation. "Now we are off," said the colonel, as he took the reins, and touched the horse lightly with the whip. "Is the road a pleasant one?" inquired Fairfax. "The latter part is rather lonely. For a mile it runs through the woods--still, on a summer day, that is rather pleasant than otherwise. In the evening, it is not so agreeable." "No, I suppose not," said Fairfax, rather absently. Colonel Preston would have been startled could he have read the thoughts that were passing through the mind of his companion. Could he have known his sinister designs, he would scarcely have sat at his side, chatting so easily and indifferently. "I will postpone my plan till we get to that part of the road he speaks of," thought Fairfax. "It would not do for me to be interrupted." "I suppose it is quite safe traveling anywhere on the road," remarked the adventurer.