She looked away from me downhill. The people were coming out of their houses, astonished.

«How are we to get to Leatherhead?» she said.

Down the hill I saw a bevy of hussars ride under the railway bridge; three galloped through the open gates of the Oriental College; two others dismounted, and began running from house to house. The sun, shining through the smoke that drove up from the tops of the trees, seemed blood red, and threw an unfamiliar lurid light upon everything.

«Stop here,» said I; «you are safe here»; and I started off at once for the Spotted Dog, for I knew the landlord had a horse and dog cart. I ran, for I perceived that in a moment everyone upon this side of the hill would be moving. I found him in his bar, quite unaware of what was going on behind his house. A man stood with his back to me, talking to him.

«I must have a pound,» said the landlord, «and I’ve no one to drive it.»

«I’ll give you two,» said I, over the stranger’s shoulder.

«What for?»