The Woodlanders

When the general stampede occurred Winterborne had also been looking

on, and encountering one of the girls, had asked her what caused them

all to fly.

She said with solemn breathlessness that they had seen something very

different from what they had hoped to see, and that she for one would

never attempt such unholy ceremonies again. "We saw Satan pursuing us

with his hour-glass. It was terrible!"

This account being a little incoherent, Giles went forward towards the

spot from which the girls had retreated. After listening there a few

minutes he heard slow footsteps rustling over the leaves, and looking

through a tangled screen of honeysuckle which hung from a bough, he saw

in the open space beyond a short stout man in evening-dress, carrying

on one arm a light overcoat and also his hat, so awkwardly arranged as

possibly to have suggested the "hour-glass" to his timid observers--if

this were the person whom the girls had seen. With the other hand he

silently gesticulated and the moonlight falling upon his bare brow

showed him to have dark hair and a high forehead of the shape seen

oftener in old prints and paintings than in real life. His curious and

altogether alien aspect, his strange gestures, like those of one who is

rehearsing a scene to himself, and the unusual place and hour, were

sufficient to account for any trepidation among the Hintock daughters

at encountering him.

He paused, and looked round, as if he had forgotten where he was; not

observing Giles, who was of the color of his environment. The latter

advanced into the light. The gentleman held up his hand and came

towards Giles, the two meeting half-way.

"I have lost my way," said the stranger. "Perhaps you can put me in

the path again." He wiped his forehead with the air of one suffering

under an agitation more than that of simple fatigue.

"The turnpike-road is over there," said Giles "I don't want the turnpike-road," said the gentleman, impatiently. "I

came from that. I want Hintock House. Is there not a path to it

across here?"

"Well, yes, a sort of path. But it is hard to find from this point.

I'll show you the way, sir, with great pleasure."

"Thanks, my good friend. The truth is that I decided to walk across

the country after dinner from the hotel at Sherton, where I am staying

for a day or two. But I did not know it was so far."

"It is about a mile to the house from here."