ng
that Lady Arabella was secretly following Adam, he was confirmed in this
idea. His mind--such as it was--was fixed on her trying to steal, and he
credited her at once with making use of this new opportunity.

In his walk, Adam went into the grounds of Castra Regis, and Oolanga saw
her follow him with great secrecy. He feared to go closer, as now on
both sides of him were enemies who might make discovery. When he
realised that Lady Arabella was bound for the Castle, he devoted himself
to following her with singleness of purpose. He therefore missed seeing
that Adam branched off the track and returned to the high road.

That night Edgar Caswall had slept badly. The tragic occurrence of the
day was on his mind, and he kept waking and thinking of it. After an
early breakfast, he sat at the open window watching the kite and thinking
of many things. From his room he could see all round the neighbourhood,
but the two places that interested him most were Mercy Farm and Diana's
Grove. At first the movements about those spots were of a humble
kind--those that belong to domestic service or agricultural needs--the
opening of doors and windows, the sweeping and brushing, and generally
the restoration of habitual order.

From his high window--whose height made it a screen from the observation
of others--he saw the chain of watchers move into his own grounds, and
then presently break up--Adam Salton going one way, and Lady Arabella,
followed by the nigger, another. Then Oolanga disappeared amongst the
trees; but Caswall could see that he was still watching. Lady Arabella,
after looking around her, slipped in by the open door, and he could, of
course, see her no longer.

Presently, however, he heard a light tap at his door, then the door
opened slowly, and he could see the flash of Lady Arabella's white dress
through the opening.

CHAPTER XVI--A VISIT OF SYMPATHY

Caswall was genuinely surprised when he saw Lady Arabella, though he need
not have been, after what had already occurred in the same way. The look
of surprise on his face was so much greater than Lady Arabella had
expected--though she thought she was prepared to meet anything that might
occur--that she stood still, in sheer amazement. Cold-blooded as she was
and ready for all social emergencies, she was nonplussed how to go on.
She was plucky, however, and began to speak at once, although she had not
the slightest idea what she was going to say.