forever
compensate him for the agony, the madness of the past two days.

The bend behind that last group of elms should now reveal the outline of
the pavilion. Sir Marmaduke advanced more cautiously, for the trees here
were very close together.

The next moment he had paused, crouching suddenly like a carnivorous
beast, balked of its prey. There of a truth was the pavilion, but on the
steps three men were standing, talking volubly and in whispers. Two of
these men carried stable lanterns, and were obviously guiding their
companion up to the door of the pavilion.

The light of the lanterns illumined one face after another. De Chavasse
recognized his two serving-men, Busy and Toogood; the man who was with
them was petty-constable Pyot. Marmaduke with both hands clutching the
ivy which clung round the gnarled stem of an old elm, watched from out
the darkness what these three men were doing here, beside this pavilion,
which had always been so lonely and deserted.

He could not distinguish what they said for they spoke in whispers and
the creaking branches groaning beneath the wind drowned every sound
which came from the direction of the pavilion and the listener on the
watch, straining his every sense in order to hear, dared not creep any
closer lest he be perceived.

Anon, the three men examined the door of the pavilion, and shaking the
rusty bolts, found that they would not yield. But evidently they were of
set purpose, for the next moment all three put their shoulder to the
worm-eaten woodwork, and after the third vigorous effort the door
yielded to their assault.

Men and lanterns disappeared within the pavilion. Sir Marmaduke heard an
ejaculation of surprise, then one of profound satisfaction.

For the space of a few seconds he remained rooted to the spot. It almost
seemed to him as if with the knowledge that the wallet and the discarded
clothes of the smith had been found, with the certitude that this
discovery meant his own undoing probably, and in any case the final loss
of the fortune for which he had plotted and planned, lied and
masqueraded, killed a man and cheated a girl, that with the knowledge of
all this, death descended upon him: so cold did he feel, so unable was
he to make the slightest movement.

But this numbness only lasted a few seconds. Obviously the three men
would return in a minute or so; equally obviously his own presence
here--if discovered--would mean certain ruin to him. Even while he