She had been often to these osier beds, and had never encountered a living soul there, and she would soon reach the region of walls and gardens that adjoined the southern end of the bridge.

So taking her basket on her arm, she pushed her way upwards from the river to the path along which lay her road, and turning her face homeward, made all the haste she could to get back.
But how dark it looked to the eastward! Did ever evening close in so fast?
And how black and cold the river looked! She never remembered to have seen it quite so cheerless and gloomy before.

A thick white fog was rising from the marshy lands, and she could not see the friendly twinkling lights upon the bridge.

Despite her exertions, which were great, she felt chill and shivery; and when at last she heard the sound of a lusty shout behind her, her heart seemed to stand still with terror, and she stopped short and gazed wildly back, to see whence the noise came.
What she saw by no means reassured her.

Some fifty yards behind, but mounted on fine horses, were two young gentlemen, plainly in a state of tipsy merriment, and by no means disposed to allow any prey, in the shape of a woman old or young, to escape them without some sort of pleasantry on their part.