times for a second in a kind of
desperate greediness to snatch a green juicy mouthful at the side.

Isabel was thinking of Stanfield, and wondering how the situation would
adjust itself; Mary Corbet would be there, she knew, to meet them; and it
was a comfort to think she could consult her; but what, she asked
herself, would be her relations with the master of the house?

Suddenly Anthony's horse stepped off the turf on the opposite side of the
road and began to come towards her, and she moved her beast a little to
let him come on the turf beside her.

"Isabel," said Anthony, "tell me if you hear anything."

She looked at him, suddenly startled.

"No, no," he said, "there is nothing to fear; it is probably my fancy;
but listen and tell me."

She listened intently. There was the creaking of her own saddle, the soft
footfalls of the horses, the hum of the summer woods, and the sound of
the servants' horses behind.

"No," she said, "there is nothing beyond----"

"There!" he said suddenly; "now do you hear it?"

Then she heard plainly the sound either of a man running, or of a horse
walking, somewhere behind them.

"Yes," she said, "I hear something; but what of it?"

"It is the third time I have heard it," he said: "once in the woods
behind Longfield, and once just before the little village with the
steepled church."

The sound had ceased again.

"It is some one who has come nearly all the way from Greenhithe behind
us. Perhaps they are not following--but again----"

"They?" she said; "there is only one."

"There are three," he answered; "at least; the other two are on the turf
at the side--but just before the village I heard all three of them--or
rather certainly more than two--when they were between those two walls
where there was no turf."

Isabel was staring at him with great frightened eyes. He smiled back at
her tranquilly.

"Ah, Isabel!" he said, "there is nothing really to fear, in any case."

"What shall you do?" she asked, making a great effort to control herself.

"I think we must find out first of all whether they are after us. We must
certainly not ride straight to the Manor Lodge if it is so."

Then he explained his plan.

"See here," he said, holding the map before her as he rode, "we shall
come to Fawkham Green in five minutes. Then our proper road leads
straight on to Ash, but we will take the right instead, towards Eynsford.
Meanwhile, I will leave Robert here, hidden by the side