and that,
but no one was in sight, and then the whole party crossed; they kept
inside the edge of the wood all the way along the downs for another mile
or so, with the rich sunlit valley seen in glimpses through the trees
here and there, and the Pilgrim's Way lying like a white ribbon a couple
of hundred feet below them, until at last Kemsing Church, with St.
Edith's Chantry at the side, lay below and behind them, and they came out
on to the edge of a great scoop in the hill, like a theatre, and the blue
woods and hills of Surrey showed opposite beyond Otford and Brasted.

Here they stopped, a little back from the edge, and Mr. Kirke gave them
their last instructions, pointing out Seal across the valley, which they
must leave on their left, skirting the meadows to the west of the church,
and passing up towards Knole beyond.

"Let the sun be a little on your right," he said, "all the way; and you
will strike the country above Tonbridge."

Then they said good-bye to one another; Mr. Kirke kissed the priest's
hand in gratitude for what he had done for him, and then turned back
along the edge of the downs, riding this time outside the woods, while
the party led their horses carefully down the steep slope, across the
Pilgrim's Way, and then struck straight out over the meadows to Seal.

Their plan seemed supremely successful; they met a few countrymen and
lads at their work, who looked a little astonished at first at this great
party riding across country, but more satisfied when Anthony had inquired
of them whether they had seen a falcon or heard his bells. No, they had
not, they said; and went on with their curiosity satisfied. Once, as they
were passing down through a wood on to the Weald, Isabel, who had turned
in her saddle, and was looking back, gave a low cry of alarm.

"Ah! the man, the man!" she said.

The others turned quickly, but there was nothing to be seen but the long
straight ride stretching up to against the sky-line three or four hundred
yards behind them. Isabel said she thought she saw a rider pass across
this little opening at the end, framed in leaves; but there were stags
everywhere in the woods here, and it would have been easy to mistake one
for the other at that distance, and with such a momentary glance.

Once again, nearer Tonbridge, they had a fright. They had followed up a
grass ride into a copse, thinking it would bring them out somewhere, but
it led only to the brink of a deep little str