sposed into sight. He stood as motionless as a
tree himself. James knew that he had been looking at the girl. Now she
was looking at him. James felt a long shudder creep over him. He had
never been afraid of anything except fear. Now he was afraid of fear,
and there was something about the man which awakened this terror, yet it
was inexplicable. He was a middle-aged man, and distinctly handsome. He
was something above the medium height, and very well dressed. He wore a
fur-lined coat which looked opulent. He had gray hair and a black
mustache. There was nothing menacing in his face. He was, indeed,
smiling a curious retrospective smile, as if at his own thoughts.
Although his eyes regarded James attentively, this smiling mouth seemed
entirely oblivious of him. The man gave an odd impression, as of two
personalities: the one observant, with an animal-like observance for his
own weal or woe, the other observant with intelligence. It was possibly
this impression of a dual personality which gave James his quick sense
of horror. He walked on, feeling his very muscles shrink. Just before
James reached the man he emerged easily, with not the slightest
appearance of stealth, from the wood, and walked on before him with a
rapid, swinging stride. There were then three persons upon the road: the
girl in brown, the strange man in the fur-lined coat, and James Elliot.
James quickened his pace, but the other man kept ahead of him, and
reached the girl. He stopped and James broke into a run. He saw the man
place a hand upon the girl's shoulder, and make a motion as if to turn
her face toward his. James came up with a shout, and the man disappeared
abruptly, with a quick backward glance at James, into the wood.

The girl looked at James, and her little face under her brown plumed hat
was very white. "Oh," she gasped, as if she had always known him, "I am
so glad you are here! He frightened me terribly."

She tried to smile at James, although her poor little mouth was
quivering. "Who was he?" she asked.

[Illustration: "You don't think he will come back?" Page 21.]

"I don't know."

A sudden suspicion flashed into her eyes. "He wasn't with you?"

"No. I saw him on the edge of the woods back there, and I didn't like
his looks. When he started to follow you I hurried to catch up."

"Oh, thank you," said the girl fervently. "Do forgive me for asking if
you were with him. I knew you were not the minute I saw you. I did not
turn my fa