ItmusthavebeennearlymidnightwhenIheardatagreatdistancethesoundofahorse'sfeet. Sometimesthesounddiedaway,thenitgrewcleareragainandnearer. TheroadtoEarlshallledthroughwoodsthatbelongedtotheearl;thesoundcameinthatdirection,andIhopeditmightbesomeonecominginsearchofus. AsthesoundcamenearerandnearerIwasalmostsureIcoulddistinguishGinger'sstep;alittlenearerstill,andIcouldtellshewasinthedog-cart. Ineighedloudly,andwasoverjoyedtohearanansweringneighfromGinger,andmen'svoices. Theycameslowlyoverthestones,andstoppedatthedarkfigurethatlayupontheground. Oneofthemenjumpedout,andstoopeddownoverit."ItisReuben,"hesaid,"andhedoesnotstir!" Theothermanfollowed,andbentoverhim."He'sdead,"hesaid;"feelhowcoldhishandsare." Theyraisedhimup,buttherewasnolife,andhishairwassoakedwithblood.Theylaidhimdownagain,andcameandlookedatme.Theysoonsawmycutknees. "Why,thehorsehasbeendownandthrownhim! Whowouldhavethoughttheblackhorsewouldhavedonethat?Nobodythoughthecouldfall. Reubenmusthavebeenlyinghereforhours! Odd,too,thatthehorsehasnotmovedfromtheplace." Robertthenattemptedtoleadmeforward.Imadeastep,butalmostfellagain. "Halloo!he'sbadinhisfootaswellashisknees. Lookhere—hishoofiscutalltopieces;hemightwellcomedown,poorfellow! Itellyouwhat,Ned,I'mafraidithasn'tbeenallrightwithReuben. Justthinkofhisridingahorseoverthesestoneswithoutashoe! Why,ifhehadbeeninhisrightsenseshewouldjustassoonhavetriedtoridehimoverthemoon. I'mafraidithasbeentheoldthingoveragain.PoorSusan! shelookedawfullypalewhenshecametomyhousetoaskifhehadnotcomehome. Shemadebelieveshewasnotabitanxious,andtalkedofalotofthingsthatmighthavekepthim. Butforallthatshebeggedmetogoandmeethim.Butwhatmustwedo? There'sthehorsetogethomeaswellasthebody,andthatwillbenoeasymatter." Thenfollowedaconversationbetweenthem,tillitwasagreedthatRobert,asthegroom,shouldleadme,andthatNedmusttakethebody. Itwasahardjobtogetitintothedog-cart,fortherewasnoonetoholdGinger;butsheknewaswellasIdidwhatwasgoingon,andstoodasstillasastone. Inoticedthat,because,ifshehadafault,itwasthatshewasimpatientinstanding. Nedstartedoffveryslowlywithhissadload,andRobertcameandlookedatmyfootagain;thenhetookhishandkerchiefandbounditcloselyround,andsoheledmehome. Ishallneverforgetthatnightwalk;itwasmorethanthreemiles. Robertledmeonveryslowly,andIlimpedandhobbledonaswellasIcouldwithgreatpain. Iamsurehewassorryforme,forheoftenpattedandencouragedme,talkingtomeinapleasantvoice. AtlastIreachedmyownbox,andhadsomecorn;andafterRoberthadwrappedupmykneesinwetcloths,hetiedupmyfootinabranpoultice,todrawouttheheatandcleanseitbeforethehorse-doctorsawitinthemorning,andImanagedtogetmyselfdownonthestraw,andsleptinspiteofthepain. Thenextdayafterthefarrierhadexaminedmywounds,hesaidhehopedthejointwasnotinjured;andifso,Ishouldnotbespoiledforwork,butIshouldneverlosetheblemish. Ibelievetheydidthebesttomakeagoodcure,butitwasalongandpainfulone. Proudflesh,astheycalledit,cameupinmyknees,andwasburnedoutwithcaustic;andwhenatlastitwashealed,theyputablisteringfluidoverthefrontofbothkneestobringallthehairoff;theyhadsomereasonforthis,andIsupposeitwasallright. AsSmith'sdeathhadbeensosudden,andnoonewastheretoseeit,therewasaninquestheld. ThelandlordandhostlerattheWhiteLion,withseveralotherpeople,gaveevidencethathewasintoxicatedwhenhestartedfromtheinn. Thekeeperofthetoll-gatesaidherodeatahardgallopthroughthegate;andmyshoewaspickedupamongthestones,sothatthecasewasquiteplaintothem,andIwasclearedofallblame. EverybodypitiedSusan.Shewasnearlyoutofhermind;shekeptsayingoverandoveragain,"Oh!hewassogood—sogood! Itwasallthatcurseddrink;whywilltheysellthatcurseddrink?OhReuben,Reuben!" Soshewentontillafterhewasburied;andthen,asshehadnohomeorrelations,she,withhersixlittlechildren,wasobligedoncemoretoleavethepleasanthomebythetalloak-trees,andgointothatgreatgloomyUnionHouse. 
