But as he raced down the slopes the scene before
himbegan to change.
From where I stood I could see the smile on his
face, repeated inthose of his two companions. But the whole flock was
steadilydrifting south, as if there was some compulsion in their rear. It was a mild
morning, growing closer as it neared midday.
It didnt take me long to extricate her, and get
savagely bitten inthe process. Its a cold day, as you justly observe, and we might
talk indoors.
I hustled him into the House, where we found a very
gummy-eyedLombard.
I heard footsteps on the stoneand was conscious
that Martel had joined me.
I dont care, said Anna; were going to
win.
It was Anna, but an Anna whom he had not known
before.
There was one hiding-place known only to Anna
andhimself. He seemedalmost demented, and hardly spoke a word.
I must have smiled, for Sandy looked at mesharply.
He had not heard them, for he continued to smoke and regard theHouse through
binoculars. They are old hands, and wont give us much of a chance of pickingthem off
piecemeal. Lordie, its hot, andtheres a plague of daddy-longlegs.
Theyseemed oddly self-conscious, for they did not
keep looking in hisdirection.
If Anna and he joined the defence they would only
be twomore non-combatants.
Before he reached the Bird Marsh the weather had
changed with avengeance. You can keep yourself for Lord Clanroyden, I told
DIngraville.
I had nodoubt about who they were, for I remembered
Sandys descriptions.
To Annas amazement the boy got to his feet, while
his right handheld her down.
He had remembered that Morag was immured in the
cheese-house, andwould probably be pretty thirsty.
Probably theyreback at Halder by now to mislead us.
Spin things out till then without a tragedy and we have won.
The track to the House passedits eastern edge, and
by this their road lay.
Will you gentlemen kindly tell me your business?