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.