"No, old man; that light there is Saint Dominic's."

"Is it? I didn't know that when I shouted; I thought we were miles
away."

"Oh, no! Hold up, old boy; we're just there."

And so this strange procession returned before the wind to Saint
Dominic's, and when, a few minutes later, watchers and rescuers and
rescued all gathered in the Doctor's study, Oliver, as well as Loman,
was insensible.

It was some days before the true story of that terrible night could be
told, and then Oliver only told it briefly.

Late in the afternoon, as he was about to turn back, he said, he heard
from a farmer's boy that he had seen a stranger that morning asleep
under a hedge about a mile off. Vague as this information was, it
decided Oliver at once to go forward, which he did. As might have been
expected, there was no trace of the "stranger" at the hedge, and no
amount of searching along it could discover any clue. Still, he did not
like to turn back while a chance remained. He went on towards Grandham,
inquiring of everybody and looking everywhere.

At last--it was getting dusk--he entered a field across which ran a
footpath which led direct to Grandham Green. He was half way across,
wondering if he could by any chance find a cart or vehicle of any kind
to drive him back to Saint Dominic's, when at the other side of the
field he suddenly caught sight of a figure getting up from under the
hedge and moving quickly away. He instantly and instinctively gave
chase. The other, seeing he was discovered, began to run too. It was
Loman. Oliver called to him to stop, but he paid no heed. He continued
to run as long as he could, and then, like a hunted animal, turned at
bay.

Oliver told very few all that had passed when finally he did come up
with the wanderer. His first impression, judging from the unhappy boy's
strange and excited manner, was that he had gone out of his mind. He
appeared reckless and desperate at first, and determined to resist all
attempts to bring him back. He would sooner die than go back to Saint
Dominic's, he said. What right had Oliver to interfere with him and dog
him in this way? He had a right to go where he chose, and no one should
stop him. Oliver let him talk on, not attempting to reply, and avoiding
all appearance of using force to detain him.

This wise policy had its effect. In time the poor fellow, who was
really suffering more from hunger and fatigue (he had not had a morsel
of fo