The first county or hunt ball, or even dinner party, more than half of them would be away.

I don't say that you personally might not for some considerable time persist in patrolling the roads, for you have a sort of personal interest in the matter; but I would wager that before two months have passed you would find you were the only one who attended at the rendezvous regularly." A fortnight later the party were seated round the fire in the dusk.
Mr.Bastow was sitting next to the Squire, and was in unusually good spirits.

He had heard no word of what the Squire had discovered, nor dreamed that his son was again in England, still less that he was suspected of being one of the men who had endeavored to stop the Squire and his son on their drive from London.

Suddenly there was the crack of a pistol outside, and a ball passed between him and the Squire.

Without a word, Mark Thorndyke rushed to the door, seized a pistol from his riding coat, and, snatching up a heavy whip, dashed out into the garden.
He was just in time to see a figure running at full speed, and he set off in pursuit.