Colonel Mires had had the shrewdness to provide a pair of strong, fleet horses for the start. He instructed his coachman to do the first stage of ten miles at a hand gallop. The man obeyed, even though the roads were heavy, the ruts deep, and the carriage several times was within an ace of being overturned. The second stage, with fresh horses, was performed in a similar manner, though at a less rate of speed, because the horses were not so good, and, being pushed, all but knocked up at their eighth mile. The third stage was commenced with another relay of horses, and proceeded much at the same rate on a fifteen-mile journey, unchecked and with undiminished speed. No delay, except changing horses, had taken place from the moment of departure as yet; but the Colonel believing that, when he had placed thirty-five miles between him and Harleydale, accomplishing the distance in four hours, he might with safety pause for a short time in order to give his coachman rest; and himself obtain some refreshment. He determined to do so, and gave his Indian servant orders to that effect. No pursuer as yet had appeared in sight, nor any sign that, even if Flora had been missed, a clue elucidating the mystery surrounding her abrupt disappearance had been obtained. Indeed he expected none: in the first place there had not been time; in the second, he had so full a conviction of the successful secrecy of his operations, that he calculated upon being the very last person who would be charged with having anything to do with Flora’s abduction. Flora had been, soon after the carriage was set in motion, restored by the attentions of the ayah to consciousness, and on opening her eyes gazed wildly round her. It was some little time before she could realise her position. At length the face of Colonel Mires and the motion of the vehicle in which she was seated, supported in the arms of the Indian woman, gave her some notion of her true situation, and rousing herself, she made an effort to recall the past, and then said to Colonel Mires---- “What is the meaning, sir, of this outrage?--how is it that I find myself alone with you and this Indian servant, torn from my home, and borne with frightful rapidity in an unknown direction?” Colonel Mires turned his inflamed eyes upon her and, in a tone of passionate tenderness, replied-- “Ask your more than mortal beauty and your in difference to my almost more than mortal love for you. Oh! Flora, I cannot see you, cannot know you to be another’s; my adoration for you is without limit; and if I have resorted to a bold step, it is only because my passion for you would pause at nothing to ensure my happiness.” “You have resorted to a mean and wicked artifice to place me in your power, Colonel Mires!” she exclaimed, awaiting his answer with an intensity of eagerness which it was somewhat remarkable he did not notice.