from the brackets under it； and deposited it on the floor beside
him。
That portion of the wall which had been screened by the cupboard was
now laid bare。 This； it appeared； had been plastered more recently
than the bulk of the outhouse。 Manston loosened the plaster with
some kind of tool； flinging the pieces into a basket as they fell。
Having now stripped clear about two feet area of wall； he inserted a
crowbar between the joints of the bricks beneath； softly wriggling
it until several were loosened。 There was now disclosed the mouth
of an old oven； which was apparently contrived in the thickness of
the wall； and having fallen into disuse； had been closed up with
bricks in this manner。 It was formed after the simple old…fashioned
plan of oven…buildinga mere oblate cavity without a flue。
Manston now stretched his arm into the oven； dragged forth a heavy
weight of great bulk； and let it slide to the ground。 The woman who
watched him could see the object plainly。 It was a common corn…
sack； nearly full； and was tied at the mouth in the usual way。
The steward had once or twice started up； as if he had heard sounds；
and his motions now became more cat…like still。 On a sudden he put
out the light。 Anne had made no noise； yet a foreign noise of some
kind had certainly been made in the intervening portion of the
house。 She heard it。 'One of the rats；' she thought。
He seemed soon to recover from his alarm； but changed his tactics
completely。 He did not light his candlegoing on with his work in
the dark。 She had only sounds to go by now； and； judging as well as
she could from these； he was piling up the bricks which closed the
oven's mouth as they had been before he disturbed them。 The query
that had not left her brain all the interval of her inspectionhow
should she get back into her bedroom again？now received a
solution。 Whilst he was replacing the cupboard； she would glide
across the brewhouse； take the key from the top of the copper； run
upstairs； unlock the door； and bring back the key again： if he
returned to bed； which was unlikely； he would think the lock had
failed to catch in the staple。 This thought and intention；
occupying such length of words； flashed upon her in an instant； and
hardly disturbed her strong curiosity to stay and learn the meaning
of his actions in the workshop。
Slipping sideways through the first door and closing it behind her；
she advanced into the darkness towards the second； making every
individual footfall with the greatest care； lest the fragments of
rubbish on the floor should crackle beneath her tread。 She soon
stood close by the copper； and not more than a foot from the door of
the room occupied by Manston himself； from which position she could
distinctly hear him breathe between each exertion； although it was
far too dark to discern anything of him。
To secure the key of her chamber was her first anxiety； and
accordingly she cautiously reached out with her hand to where it
lay。 Instead of touching it； her fingers came in contact with the
boot of a human being。
She drooped faint in a cold sweat。 It was the foot either of a man
or woman； standing on the brewing…copper where the key had lain。 A
warm foot； covered with a polished boot。
The startling discovery so terrified her that she could hardly
repress a sound。 She withdrew her hand with a motion like the
flight of an arrow。 Her touch was so light that the leather seemed
to have been thick enough to keep the owner of the foot in entire
ignorance of it； and the noise of Manston's scraping might have been
quite sufficient to drown the slight rustle of her dress。
The person was obviously not the steward： he was still busy。 It
was somebody who； since the light had been extinguished； had taken
advantage of the gloom； to come from some dark recess in the
brewhouse and stand upon the brickwork of the copper。 The fear
which had at first paralyzed her lessened with the birth of a sense
that fear now was utter failure： she was in a desperate position
and must abide by the consequences。 The motionless person on the
copper was； equally with Manston； quite unconscious of her
proximity； and she ventured to advance her hand again； feeling
behind the feet； till she found the key。 On its return to her side；
her finger…tip skimmed the lower verge of a trousers…leg。
It was a man； then； who stood there。 To go to the door just at this
time was impolitic； and she shrank back into an inner corner to
wait。 The comparative security from discovery that her new position
ensured resuscitated reason a little； and empowered her to form some
logical inferences：
1。 The man who stood on the copper had taken advantage of the
darkness to get there； as she had to enter。
2。 The man must have been hidden in the outhouse before she had
reached the door。
3。 He must be watching Manston with much calculation and system；
and for purposes of his own。
She could now tell by the noises that Manston had completed his re…
erection of the cupboard。 She heard him replacing the articles it
had containedbottle by bottle； tool by toolafter which he came
into the brewhouse； went to the window； and pulled down the cloths
covering it； but the window being rather small； this unveiling
scarcely relieved the darkness of the interior。 He returned to the
workshop； hoisted something to his back by a jerk； and felt about
the room for some other article。 Having found it； he emerged from
the inner door； crossed the brewhouse； and went into the yard。
Directly he stepped out she could see his outline by the light of
the clouded and weakly moon。 The sack was slung at his back； and in
his hand he carried a spade。
Anne now waited in her corner in breathless suspense for the
proceedings of the other man。 In about half…a…minute she heard him
descend from the copper； and then the square opening of the doorway
showed the outline of this other watcher passing through it
likewise。 The form was that of a broad…shouldered man enveloped in
a long coat。 He vanished after the steward。
The woman vented a sigh of relief； and moved forward to follow。
Simultaneously； she discovered that the watcher whose foot she had
touched was； in his turn； watched and followed also。
It was by one of her own sex。 Anne Seaway shrank backward again。
The unknown woman came forward from the further side of the yard；
and pondered awhile in hesitation。 Tall； dark； and closely wrapped；
she stood up from the earth like a cypress。 She moved； crossed the
yard without producing the slightest disturbance by her footsteps；
and went in the direction the others had taken。
Anne waited yet another minutethen in her turn noiselessly
followed the last woman。
But so impressed was she with the sensation of people in hiding；
that in coming out of the yard she turned her head to see if any
person were following her； in the same way。 Nobody was visible； but
she discerned； standing behind the angle of the stable； Manston's
horse and gig； ready harnessed。
He did intend to fly after all； then； she thought。 He must have
placed the horse in readiness； in the interval between his leaving
the house and her exit by the window。 However； there was not time
to weigh this branch of the night's events。 She turned about again；
and continued on the trail of the other three。
6。 FROM MIDNIGHT TO HALF…PAST ONE A。M。
Intentness pervaded everything； Night herself seemed to have become
a watcher。
The four persons proceeded across the glade； and into the park
plantation； at equi…distances of about seventy yards。 Here the
ground； completely overhung by the foliage； was coated with a thick
moss which was as soft as velvet beneath their feet。 The first
watcher； that is； the man walking immediately behind Manston； now
fell back； when Manston's housekeeper； knowing the ground pretty
well； dived circuitously among the trees and got directly behind the
steward； who； encumbered with his load； had proceeded but slowly。
The other woman seemed now to be about opposite to Anne； or a little
in advance； but on Manston's other hand。
He reached a pit； midway between the waterfall and the engine…house。
There he stopped； wiped his face； and listened。
Into this pit had drifted uncounted generations of withered leaves；
half filling it。 Oak； beech； and chestnut； rotten and brown alike；
mingled themselves in one fibrous mass。 Manston descended into the
midst of them； placed his sack on the ground； and raking the leaves
aside into a large heap； began digging。 Anne softly drew nearer；
crept into a bush； and turning her head to survey the rest； missed
the man who had dropped behind； and whom we have called the first
watcher。 Concluding that he； too； had hidden himself； she turned
her attention to the second watcher； the other woman； who had
meanwhile advanced near to where Anne lay in hiding； and now seated
herself behind a tree； still closer to the steward than was Anne
Seaway。
Here and thus Anne remained concealed。 The crunch of the steward's
spade； as it cut into the soft vegetable mould； was plainly
perceptible to her ears when the periodic cessations between the
creaks of the engine concurred with a lull in the breeze； which
otherwise brought the subdued roar of the cascade from the further
side of the bank that screened it。 A large holesome four or five
feet deephad been excavated by Manston in about twenty minutes。
Into this he immediately placed the sack； and then began filling in
the earth； and treading it down。 Lastly he carefully raked the
whole mass of dead and dry leaves into the middle of the pit；
burying the ground with them as they had buried it before。
For a hiding…place the spot was unequalled。 The thick accumulation
of leaves； which had not been disturbed for centuries； might not be
disturbed again for centuries to come； whilst their lower layers
still decayed and added to the mould beneath。
By the time this work was ended the sky had grown clearer； and Anne
could now see distinctly the face of the other woman； stretching
from behind the tree； seemingly forgetful of her position in her
intense contemplation of the actions of the steward。 Her
c