took such an interminable time to pass! I
conceived a very violent distaste for carts.

I do take some credit to myself that not once did I yield to the
temptation to peep over my wall and see who it was that passed along
the road. I did not even turn and try to peer through the chinks in
the stones, but simply sat like a limpet till the sounds had died
completely away. The only precaution I took was to extinguish my
cigarette if I chanced at the moment to be smoking.

In the course of my long bask in that sun bath I ate most of my
remaining sandwiches and a cake or two of chocolate, but kept the
remainder against emergencies. At last as the sun wore round,
gradually descending till it shone right into my eyes, and I realised
that the afternoon was getting far through, hope began to rise higher
and higher. It actually seemed as if I were going to be allowed to
remain within twenty yards of a highroad till night fell. "And then
let them look for me!" I thought.

I don't think my access of optimism caused me to make any incautious
movement. I know I was not smoking, in fact it must simply have been
luck determined to show me that I was not her only favourite. Anyhow,
when I first heard a footstep it was on the grass within five yards of
me, and the next moment a man came round the corner of the wall and
stopped dead short at the sight of me.

He was a countryman, a small farmer or hired man, I should judge--a
broad-faced, red-bearded, wide-shouldered, pleasant-looking fellow, and
he must have been walking for some distance on the grass by the
roadside, though what made him step the few yards out of his way to
look round the corner of the wall, I have never discovered to this day.
Possibly he meant to descend to the beach at that point. Anyhow there
he was, and as we looked into one another's eyes for a moment in
silence I could tell as surely as if he had said the words that he had
heard the story of the suspicious motor-cyclist.

IV.

THE NAILS.

"A fine afternoon," I remarked, without rising, and I hope without
showing any sign of emotion other than pleasure at making an
acquaintance.

"Aye," said he, briefly and warily.

This discouraging manner was very ominous, for the man was as
good-natured and agreeable-looking a fellow as I ever met.

"The weather looks like keeping up," I said.

He continued to look at me steadily, and made no answer at all this
time. Then he turned his back to me