As Mr…

chunk 725 · paragraph 619

uld not see him. He kept close to the road, and when about half a mile from Moody’s he met two trappers. They looked like honest men and Mr. Hardy confided his fears to them. The first comment one of the men made was: “I always believed that old wretch was a murderer.” As Mr. Hardy was not in search of adven- ture, he declined to return to Moody’s house, and in the trappers’ presence demand an explana- ( 80 ) tion. All he asked was their protection for a mile or two. For an old silver watch they con- sented to accompany him, and the three began their journey. They did not believe that Moody or his son were within a mile of them, but when Mr. Hardy suddenly walked out from a little clump of trees, a bullet whizzed past him and lodged in the trunk of a hickory. He jumped back into the thicket, drew his revolver, and prepared to protect himself. He remained there about five minutes. Suddenly there came another report close to him. The shot was immediately fol- lowed by another, and then Mr. Hardy heard one of the trappers say; ‘T think they are done for.”