Page:Sienkiewicz - The knights of the cross.djvu/570

 132 they did not find Sanderus at the time appointed, but discovered on a pine-tree, standing at the roadside, a large cut in the form of a cross, made freshly as was evident. Then they looked at each other, their faces grew serious and their hearts beat more quickly. Matsko and Zbyshko sprang from their saddles to examine the tracks, and sought carefully, but not long, for the same thing was evident to both men.

Sanderus had left the road for the forest, following the tracks of the great horse, not so deeply made as on the road, but with sufficient clearness; for the ground was turfy, and the great beast pressed down at every step the needle-like pine leaves, on which were left dark depressions at the edges of the hoof-prints.

Before the quick eyes of Zbyshko were not hidden other tracks; hence he mounted his horse, Matsko mounted his also, and they counselled with Hlava in voices which were as low as if the enemy had been right there before them. Hlava advised to advance on foot at once, but they were unwilling to do so, for they knew not how far they might have to go through that forest. Foot attendants, however, were to go before, and send back word if they saw anything.

They moved into the forest soon. The next cut on a pine-tree assured them that they had not lost the traces of Sanderus. Soon, too, they discovered that they were on a road, or at least on a forest trail over which people must have gone more than one time. So now they felt sure that they would find some settlement, and in it those for whom they were searching.

The sun had sunk already toward its setting and was shining with golden light among the pine-trees. The evening promised to be clear. The forest was quiet, for birds and animals were inclining toward their night rest. Only here and there among branches still in sunlight jumped squirrels all red from evening sunshine. Zbyshko, Matsko, Hlava, and the attendants rode one behind another, in goose line. Knowing that the foot attendants were in advance considerably, and would forewarn in season, the old knight was speaking to his nephew and did not restrain his voice excessively.

"Let us count with the sun," said he. "From the last resting-place to the point where the cross was cut we passed a big piece of road. On the clock of Cracow it would be