They had ceased now, and the silence was profound, for those faint
multitudinous noises of the night that murmur without ceasing in
the woods and fields are less noticeable near the habitations of men.

A little puzzled, Dunn paused to listen again and once more crept
forward a careful yard or two, and then lay still, feeling it would
not be safe to venture further till he was more sure of his
direction, and till some fresh sound to guide him reached his ears.

He had not long to wait, for very soon, from quite close by, he
heard something that surprised and perplexed him equally--a deep,
long-drawn sigh.

Again he heard it, and in utter wonder asked himself who this
could be who came into another person's garden late at night to
stand and sigh, and what such a proceeding could mean.

Once more he heard the sigh, deeper even than before, and then after
it a low murmur in which at first he could distinguish nothing, but
then caught the name of Ella being whispered over and over again.

He bent forward, more and more puzzled, trying in vain to make out
something in the darkness, and then from under a tree, whose shadow
had hitherto been a complete concealment, there moved forward a form
so tall and bulky there could be little doubt whom it belonged to.

"John Clive--what on earth--!" Dunn muttered, his bewilderment
increasing, and the next moment he understood and had some difficulty
in preventing himself from bursting out laughing as there reached
him the unmistakable sound of a kiss lightly blown through the air.