I answered, "Yes," as shortly as might be.

"Tastes differ," says Sergeant Cuff. "Looking at it from my point of

view, I never saw a marine landscape that I admired less. If you happen

to be following another person along your sea-coast, and if that

person happens to look round, there isn't a scrap of cover to hide

you anywhere. I had to choose between taking Rosanna in custody on

suspicion, or leaving her, for the time being, with her little game in

her own hands. For reasons which I won't trouble you with, I decided on

making any sacrifice rather than give the alarm as soon as to-night to

a certain person who shall be nameless between us. I came back to the

house to ask you to take me to the north end of the beach by another

way. Sand--in respect of its printing off people's footsteps--is one

of the best detective officers I know. If we don't meet with Rosanna

Spearman by coming round on her in this way, the sand may tell us what

she has been at, if the light only lasts long enough. Here IS the sand.

If you will excuse my suggesting it--suppose you hold your tongue, and

let me go first?"

If there is such a thing known at the doctor's shop as a

DETECTIVE-FEVER, that disease had now got fast hold of your humble

servant. Sergeant Cuff went on between the hillocks of sand, down to

the beach. I followed him (with my heart in my mouth); and waited at a

little distance for what was to happen next.

As it turned out, I found myself standing nearly in the same place

where Rosanna Spearman and I had been talking together when Mr. Franklin

suddenly appeared before us, on arriving at our house from London. While

my eyes were watching the Sergeant, my mind wandered away in spite of me

to what had passed, on that former occasion, between Rosanna and me. I

declare I almost felt the poor thing slip her hand again into mine, and

give it a little grateful squeeze to thank me for speaking kindly

to her. I declare I almost heard her voice telling me again that the

Shivering Sand seemed to draw her to it against her own will, whenever

she went out--almost saw her face brighten again, as it brightened when

she first set eyes upon Mr. Franklin coming briskly out on us from among

the hillocks. My spirits fell lower and lower as I thought of these

things--and the view of the lonesome little bay, when I looked about to

rouse myself, only served to make me feel more uneasy still.

The last of the evening light was fading away; and over all the desolate

place there hung a still and awful calm. The heave of the main ocean on

the great sandbank out in the bay, was a heave that made no sound. The

inner sea lay lost and dim, without a breath of wind to stir it. Patches

of nasty ooze floated, yellow-white, on the dead surface of the water.

Scum and slime shone faintly in certain places, where the last of the

light still caught them on the two great spits of rock jutting out,

north and south, into the sea. It was now the time of the turn of the

tide: and even as I stood there waiting, the broad brown face of the

quicksand began to dimple and quiver--the only moving thing in all the

horrid place.




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