Themistygraydomeabovehim，whichaninvisiblemoonseemedtohavequicksilveredover，alternatelylightenedanddarkenedwithpassinggustsoffinerain。Neverthelesshecouldseetheoutlineofthebroadquadrangleofthehousequitedistinctly，exceptonthewestside，whereafringeofwrithingwillowsbeatthebrownadobewallswiththeirimploringarmsateverygust。Elsewherenothingmoved;theviewwasuninterruptedtowheretheshining，wateryskymettheequallyshining，wateryplain。Hehadalreadymadeahalfcircuitofthehouse，andwasstillnoiselesslypickinghiswayalongthefurrows，muffledwithsoakedandbroken—downblades，andthevelvetyupspringingofthe\"volunteer\"growth，whensuddenly，notfiftyyardsbeforehim，withoutsoundorwarning，afigurerodeoutofthegrainupontheopencrossroad，anddeliberatelyhaltedwithalistless，abstracted，waitingair。Clarenceinstantlyrecognizedoneofhisownvacqueros，anundersizedhalf—breed，butheasinstantlydivinedthathewasonlyanoutpostorconfederate，stationedtogivethealarm。Thesameprecautionhadpreventedeachhearingtheother，andthelesserheightofthevacquerohadrenderedhimindistinguishableasheprecededClarenceamongthegrain。Astheyoungmanmadenodoubtthattherealtrespasserwasnearerthecasa，alongthelineofwillows，hewheeledtointercepthimwithoutalarminghissentry。Unfortunately，hishorseansweredtheropebridleclumsily，andsplashedinstrikingout。Thewatcherquicklyraisedhishead，andClarenceknewthathisonlychancewasnowtosuppresshim。Determinedtodothisatanyhazard，withathreateninggesturehechargedboldlydownuponhim。
Buthehadnotcrossedhalfthedistancebetweenthemwhenthemanutteredanappallingcry，sowildanddespairingthatitseemedtochilleventhehotbloodinClarence’sveins，anddashedfrenziedlydownthecross—roadintotheinterminableplain。BeforeClarencecoulddetermineifthatcrywasasignaloraninvoluntaryoutburst，itwasfollowedinstantlybythesoundoffrightenedandstrugglinghoofsclatteringagainstthewallofthecasa，andaswayingoftheshrubberynearthebackgateofthepatio。Herewashisrealquarry！Withouthesitationhedughisheelsintotheflanksofhishorseandrodefuriouslytowardsit。Asheapproached，alongtremorseemedtopassthroughtheshrubbery，withtheretreatingsoundofhorsehoofs。Theunseentrespasserhadevidentlytakenthealarmandwasfleeing，andClarencedashedinpursuit。Followingthesound，fortheshrubberyhidthefugitivefromview，hepassedthelastwallofthecasa;butitsoonbecameevidentthattheunknownhadthebetterhorse。Thehoof—beatsgrewfainterandfainter，andattimesappearedeventocease，untilhisownapproachstartedthemagain，eventuallytofadeawayinthedistance。InvainClarencedughisheelsintotheflanksofhisheaviersteed，andregrettedhisownmustang;andwhenatlasthereachedtheedgeofthethickethehadlostbothsightandsoundofthefugitive。
Thedescenttothelowerterracelaybeforehimemptyanddesolate。
Themanhadescaped！
Heturnedslowlybackwithbaffledangerandvindictiveness。