The horse he rode was
jaded, and he did not press it. Beelzebub, with the other two, rode far
ahead.
It was still dark when at last they turned in to the Home Farm, and,
still in that awful silence, Mercer dismounted and lifted his wife to
the ground.
He set her on her feet, but her limbs trembled so much that she could
scarcely stand. He kept his arm around her, and led her into the house.
He took her to her room and left her there; but in a few minutes he
returned with food on a tray which he set before her without raising his
eyes, and again departed. She did not see him again for many hours.
XVI
From sheer exhaustion she slept at last, but her sleep was broken and
unrefreshing. She turned and tossed, dozing and waking in utter
weariness of mind and body till the day was far advanced. Finally, too
restless to lie any longer, she arose and dressed.
The sound of voices took her to her window before she left her room, and
she saw her husband on horseback with Curtis standing by his side. A
sense of relief shot through her at sight of the latter. She had come to
rely upon him more than she knew. While she watched, Mercer raised his
bridle and rode slowly away without a backward glance.
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