"I knew all that," he said. "Do you think I can not read men, Surry?
Long since I gave you in my heart the name of _friend_, and I knew that
you had done as much toward me. Come, then! Go to my camp with me; in
the evening we will take a ride. I am going to conduct you to a spot
where we can talk without interruption, the exact place where the
crimes of which I shall speak were committed."
And resuming the gallop, Mohun led the way, amid the trailing festoons,
through the fallen logs, across the Rowanty.
Half an hour afterward we had reached his camp.
As the sun began to decline we again mounted our horses.
Pushing on rapidly we reached a large house on a hill above the
Nottoway, and entered the tall gateway at the moment when the great
windows were all ablaze in the sunset.
XIII.
FONTHILL.
Mohun spurred up the hill; reined in his horse in front of the great
portico, and, dismounting, fastened his bridle to the bough of a
magnificent exotic, one of a hundred which were scattered over the
extensive grounds.
I imitated him, and we entered the house together, through the door,
which gave way at the first push. No one had come to take our horses.
No one opposed our entrance. The house was evidently deserted.
I looked round in astonishment and admiration.
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