He felt as if a burdenhad fallen from his
shoulders.
Now they were trying to verify her
story.
It was light now, for the moonwas
rising.
Ive been outbye again,he announced, and its snawing
hard. As to what he should dowhen he arrived at the inn he had no plans, and did not
attempt tomake one. No food, but thankgoodness I had the sense to bring some of my
own.
At supper he was a brisk companion, for he
wasbeginning to see merit in this adventure. Far below him the Val dArras lay in a
deep olive gloom.
He was back in Eilean Bàn, and the time was
afternoon.
She must carry off thingswith a high air. He had a
finely cut face, dark levelbrows and sombre eyes.
He felt as if a burdenhad fallen from his
shoulders.
Im nae hand at coffee, but Ill get yea cup o
tea.
We must be inside the big ravine beforedaybreak. He
passed in safetyand then had the main slope to breast.
Andrew, getthe stove going, please, and prepare
some kind of supper.
I never climbed a mountainin all my
days.
They would not dare to silenceher in the old crude
way. Her face was flushed and gay, her voice had a ringing gallantry.
They had failed to manoeuvre their victim out of
the kenof the world.
He sat with his big head sunk onhis chest and his
eyes half closed.
This sight seemed to put the last edge on hissense
of desolation. This was the most arduous part of the road, but he didnot slacken his
pace.
He was held by two men, and was spluttering in
well-simulatedwrath.
For Gods sake have done with mystifications,
Melfort, Creeveycried.
If danger was coming fromthe north, might they not
escape by the south? He took Jacquelines hand, as she stood in the snow at
thedoorstep.
But my Lancia broke down some way back, and weve
had to hump ourswag and foot it.
My ankles are aching from this terrible road. Just
when it was growing dark and I got myservant to light a lamp.
Jacquelines anxiety had made hereager for instant
movement. Wherehave you come from, and what are you doing here?
He forced himself to be calm, for he had a great
gift of self-command. He was anoldish man, very square and stocky, and he had in his
hand afrying-pan. To-night she had been very gracious to himand had treated him like
a playfellow and an ally.