They will do us no harm."
Oswald thought of the murder of the girls' mother, and knew that, in
their fury at having been tricked, the Bairds were capable of anything.
"It is not to be thought of," he said. "Such a watch would henceforth
be kept that there would be no possibility, whatever, of effecting your
rescue. We must take our chance together.
"What think you had best be done, Roger?"
"In sooth, I know not. I am ready to do whatever you think best."
"We cannot hope to reach Parton, before they overtake us," Oswald said.
"Besides, the Bairds are sure to have many friends there, and the
lighted beacon will warn all the countryside that something unusual has
happened. No, we cannot think of going there."
"But you said that there were horses," Janet said.
"They are but a short distance on this side of the town. We could not
hope to get there before the Bairds; and, even if we did, it would be a
quarter of an hour before we could mount and be off."
"Could we not hide and get the horses after they have passed, master?"
Roger suggested.
"It would be useless, Roger. The road leads up and down this valley,
and there would be no possibility of riding the horses across the
hills, at night; so that we should have either to ride down through
Parton, or up past the Bairds' hold.
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