k again, and see whether anyone is following.'

'No one, Miss,' answered Mary, plainly surprised. 'He's putting the key in
his pocket, and standin' there a-lookin' after us.'

'Oh, Mary, did not you see it?'

'What, Miss?' asked Mary, almost stopping.

'Come on, Mary. Don't pause. They will observe us,' I whispered, hurrying
her forward.

'What did you see, Miss?' repeated Mary.

'_Mr. Dudley_,' I whispered, with a terrified emphasis, not daring to turn
my head as I spoke.

'Lawk, Miss!' remonstrated honest Quince, with a protracted intonation
of wonder and incredulity, which plainly implied a suspicion that I was
dreaming.

'Yes, Mary. When we went into that dreadful room--that dark, round place--I
saw his foot on the ladder. _His_ foot, Mary I can't be mistaken. _I won't
be questioned_. You'll _find_ I'm right. He's _here_. He never went in
that ship at all. A fraud has been practised on me--it is infamous--it
is terrible. I'm frightened out of my life. For heaven's sake, look back
again, and tell me what you see.'

'_Nothing_, Miss,' answered Mary, in contagious whispers, 'but that
wooden-legged chap, standin' hard by the door.'

'And no one with him?'

'No one, Miss.'

We got without pursuit through the gate in the paling. I drew breath so
soon as we had reached the cover of the thicket near the chestnut hollow,
and I began to reflect that whoever the owner of the foot might be--and
I was still instinctively certain that it was no other than
Dudley--concealment was plainly his object. I need not, then, be at all
uneasy lest he should pursue us.

As we walked slowly and in silence along the grassy footpath, I heard a
voice calling my name from behind. Mary Quince had not heard it at all, but
I was quite certain.

It was repeated twice or thrice, and, looking in considerable doubt and
trepidation under the hanging boughs, I saw Beauty, not ten yards away,
standing among the underwood.

I remember how white the eyes and teeth of the swarthy girl looked, as with
hand uplifted toward her ear, she watched us while, as it seemed, listening
for more distant sounds.

Beauty beckoned eagerly to me, advancing, with looks of great fear and
anxiety, two or three short steps toward me.

'_She_ baint to come,' said Beauty, under her breath, so soon as I had
nearly reached her, pointing without raising her hand at Mary Quince.

'Tell her to sit on the ash-tree stump down yonder, and call ye as loud as
she ca