walk; but for myself,
though these things may pass from memory, a voice once heard never
escapes me. I suppose it is because I have been at much pains to
distinguish between sounds. I'm rather musical, you know.

And so as I lay squatted there beneath a sloe-bush, and the tones of a
voice grating as those of the corncrake came to me through the chinks
in the wall, I knew that Weems was at large once more, and pressing on
with his errand.

I might have expected him, and yet his arrival was a bit of a surprise;
and on the spur of the moment I could not for the life of me think what
was best to do. One couldn't nobble the man, and still I didn't intend
that he should read that Recipe. So, being unable to make up my mind to
any other course of proceeding, I just cowered quietly where I was and
awaited developments. As it turned out, these were not very long in
coming. Weems had lifted up his voice to get rid of his guide, and the
guide, in eloquent Minorquin, was refusing to understand. At last the
schoolmaster, in desperation, translating his arguments into silver,
called to mind a word from some American novel, and commanded his
attendant to "vamose." Then the native poured out thanks, pocketed the
cash after a great show of refusing it, and went; and Weems, waiting
till he was out of sight, climbed the wall. He was a bit chary of
stepping down amongst the prickly scrub on the inner side, and so as he
was taking his time about it, I stood up and watched him. He did not
see me till he was firm on his feet again; but when he did slew round,
he stepped back with a gasp as though some one had rammed a sail-needle
into him.

However, he pulled himself together quickly enough--I give him credit
for that--and slipped a hand into his coat pocket, which I noted was
bulging with some heavy weight--presumably a pistol. Then he resorted
to what I suppose he considered diplomacy, and remarked that it was a
lovely country.

"Damn you," said I, "you didn't come here to talk to me about scenery,
did you? Because if that's the case, I'd rather you'd quit for a while.
I've got some business on hand here that I want to work out alone. So
git, you mean little brute."

"And I also have a trifling piece of research to make, for which I
desire complete privacy. And this, Mr. Cospatric, is a point upon which
I am prepared to insist."

Hereupon out came the revolver, a cheap pin-fire tool, brilliantly
nickel-plated. Weems fingered it with