spinney.



CHAPTER XVI

IN THE WOOD


There had been an air of haste, almost of furtiveness, about this
swift appearance and more swift vanishing of Ella, that made Dunn
ask himself uneasily what errand she could have been on.

He hesitated for a moment, half expecting to see her return again,
or that there would be some other development, but he heard and saw
nothing.

He caught no further glimpse of Ella, whom the green depths of the
spinney hid well; and he heard no more shots.

After a little, he left the spot where he had been waiting and went
across to where he had seen her.

The exact spot where she had entered the spinney was marked, for
she had broken the branch of a young tree in brushing quickly by it,
and a bramble she had trodden on had not yet lifted itself from the
earth to which she had pressed it.

By other signs like these, plain enough and easy to read--for she
had hurried on in great haste and without care, almost, indeed, as