If you are good subjects of his
you will be willing to part with them. My horse was killed but a
little way back; that one of yours would suit me right well," and
he made a step forward as though to lay a hand on Lucifer's rein.
"Now, Tom, my boy!" said Lord Claud in a clear, low tone.
In a moment he had whipped out his pistols and fired straight at
the officer, who fell face downwards almost without a groan. Tom
had meanwhile marked his man--the foremost in the rank behind; and
he rolled over like a log.
With a yell of rage and amaze the men were upon them; but Lucifer
and Nell Gwynne had already reared almost upright, and now were
fighting so wildly with their iron-shod hoofs that in fear and
dismay the assailants fell back, whilst a second report from each
pistol dropped another man dead upon the field.
"Forward! before they can take aim!" cried Lord Claud in a voice of
thunder; and the horses obeyed the word without any touch of spur
from their riders.
They bounded forward with an impetus which must have unseated any
but an experienced horseman, and then laying themselves along the
ground, they fled onwards at a gallop which astonished even Tom by
its wild velocity.
A shower of bullets fell round them, but none touched either steeds
or riders; the yells of the infuriated soldiers died away on their
ears; the horses sped on and on as though they had wings to their
feet, and only after some few miles had been traversed did the
riders draw rein.
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