that was potent for evil in bird or beast, or even in fish. Beaks that
could break and rend and tear--all the birds represented were of a
predatory kind. Even the fishes are those which are born to destroy, to
wound, to torture. The collection, I assure you, was an object lesson in
human malignity. This being has enough evil in his face to frighten even
a strong man. It is little wonder that the sight of it put that poor
girl into a dead faint!"

Nothing more could be done at the moment, so they separated.

Adam was up in the early morning and took a smart walk round the Brow. As
he was passing Diana's Grove, he looked in on the short avenue of trees,
and noticed the snakes killed on the previous morning by the mongoose.
They all lay in a row, straight and rigid, as if they had been placed by
hands. Their skins seemed damp and sticky, and they were covered all
over with ants and other insects. They looked loathsome, so after a
glance, he passed on.

A little later, when his steps took him, naturally enough, past the
entrance to Mercy Farm, he was passed by the negro, moving quickly under
the trees wherever there was shadow. Laid across one extended arm,
looking like dirty towels across a rail, he had the horrid-looking
snakes. He did not seem to see Adam. No one was to be seen at Mercy
except a few workmen in the farmyard, so, after waiting on the chance of
seeing Mimi, Adam began to go slowly home.

Once more he was passed on the way. This time it was by Lady Arabella,
walking hurriedly and so furiously angry that she did not recognise him,
even to the extent of acknowledging his bow.