idylls," said I. "We've no such luck."
Helena crossed her ankles and laced her delicate fingers behind her head.
"D'you find it idyllic, too?"
"I tried to say so this morning."
Helena knitted her brows.
"Then you said it very badly," she said. "I thought you were jibbing at being alone with me."
"For me, that's the idyll," said I.
Helena turned her head and gave me a dazzling smile.
"John," says she, "that's very prettily put."
It was when we had eaten our supper and the infant was fast asleep that Sabre was given his orders and we set out with the petrol to seek the Rolls. The dusk would come in, I judged, by the time we had crossed the clearing and gained the track, and that was just what we wanted, for so we could use the daylight, yet be wrapped in the cloak of darkness by the time we came to the road. For all that, I was none too easy, for if, by some evil chance, friend Pharaoh had found the Rolls, his instinct might well have suggested that we should return at nightfall to try to recover the car. And if he was lying there, waiting ... The nearer we drew to the road the more I wished for Sabre, for he at least would have saved us from walking into a trap.
At length I could bear it no more.
"Helena," said I, "when we see the road before us, I want you to let me go on. It isn't very likely, but someone may be in the bushes, keeping an eye on the Rolls. And if they are, I must draw them, for touch that car I will not till I know that the coast is clear. It isn't as if we could start her and let her go. I've got to open the bonnet and fill up the vacuum tank."
"When you say 'draw them,' John, just what do you mean?"
"Make them declare their presence. I won't let them see me or hear me I promise you that."
"You won't fill up without me?"
"No," said I. "I'll leave the petrol with you."
Five minutes later, perhaps, the darkness ahead was lightened, and I knew we were approaching the road.
Gently I set down the cans.
"Will you wait here, Helena?" I whispered.
"Tell me exactly what you are proposing to do."
"It may be half an hour before I come back. I'm going to stand still and listen most of the time. When I move, I shall move in the shadows, always this side of the road. If I hear and see nothing at all, an acorn is going to fall from the oak tree above the car. It's going to fall on to the bonnet and it's going to make quite a noise. If anyone's there, that'll fetch them ... Acorns don't fall in June, but I'll bet Pharaoh doesn't know that."
Helena sighed.
"I wish we'd got Sabre. Never mind. I don't mind how long you're gone, if you'll only take care."
With my right hand upon my pistol, I moved like any shadow along the side of the track ...
Arrived at its mouth. I waited, straining my ears. So for perhaps three minutes. Then I stole round the corner and on to the edge of the road,
Since my eyes had grown accustomed to the darkness which reigned in the track, when I looked down the road I could see very well, for the trees stood back from its sides and the starlit heaven above was shedding a definite light.
I could see the lovely indenture of the treetops against the sky; I could see the bulwarks of foliage, still as hangings of tapestry, walling the smooth highway; I could see the grey road, fading from substance to shadow and leading, it seemed, to the very realm of darkness, where even the stars were quenched.
And that was all I could see. The Rolls was gone!
Chapter 11
I WAS up betimes the next morning and had shaved and bathed and dressed before Helena called to me to know if I was awake.
"I'm dressed," said I, "and I'm just going to do my room."
"And your back?" "Is well," said I.
"Can you carry Max into the garden?"
"I could carry you to Witchcraft," said I.
"Well, wait a minute. I'll call you." Two minutes later I climbed the little staircase and carried the cradle down.
I had warm water ready, but Helena wished for the brook, so I took a sheet from the settle, filled a pail with
Helena crossed her ankles and laced her delicate fingers behind her head.
"D'you find it idyllic, too?"
"I tried to say so this morning."
Helena knitted her brows.
"Then you said it very badly," she said. "I thought you were jibbing at being alone with me."
"For me, that's the idyll," said I.
Helena turned her head and gave me a dazzling smile.
"John," says she, "that's very prettily put."
It was when we had eaten our supper and the infant was fast asleep that Sabre was given his orders and we set out with the petrol to seek the Rolls. The dusk would come in, I judged, by the time we had crossed the clearing and gained the track, and that was just what we wanted, for so we could use the daylight, yet be wrapped in the cloak of darkness by the time we came to the road. For all that, I was none too easy, for if, by some evil chance, friend Pharaoh had found the Rolls, his instinct might well have suggested that we should return at nightfall to try to recover the car. And if he was lying there, waiting ... The nearer we drew to the road the more I wished for Sabre, for he at least would have saved us from walking into a trap.
At length I could bear it no more.
"Helena," said I, "when we see the road before us, I want you to let me go on. It isn't very likely, but someone may be in the bushes, keeping an eye on the Rolls. And if they are, I must draw them, for touch that car I will not till I know that the coast is clear. It isn't as if we could start her and let her go. I've got to open the bonnet and fill up the vacuum tank."
"When you say 'draw them,' John, just what do you mean?"
"Make them declare their presence. I won't let them see me or hear me I promise you that."
"You won't fill up without me?"
"No," said I. "I'll leave the petrol with you."
Five minutes later, perhaps, the darkness ahead was lightened, and I knew we were approaching the road.
Gently I set down the cans.
"Will you wait here, Helena?" I whispered.
"Tell me exactly what you are proposing to do."
"It may be half an hour before I come back. I'm going to stand still and listen most of the time. When I move, I shall move in the shadows, always this side of the road. If I hear and see nothing at all, an acorn is going to fall from the oak tree above the car. It's going to fall on to the bonnet and it's going to make quite a noise. If anyone's there, that'll fetch them ... Acorns don't fall in June, but I'll bet Pharaoh doesn't know that."
Helena sighed.
"I wish we'd got Sabre. Never mind. I don't mind how long you're gone, if you'll only take care."
With my right hand upon my pistol, I moved like any shadow along the side of the track ...
Arrived at its mouth. I waited, straining my ears. So for perhaps three minutes. Then I stole round the corner and on to the edge of the road,
Since my eyes had grown accustomed to the darkness which reigned in the track, when I looked down the road I could see very well, for the trees stood back from its sides and the starlit heaven above was shedding a definite light.
I could see the lovely indenture of the treetops against the sky; I could see the bulwarks of foliage, still as hangings of tapestry, walling the smooth highway; I could see the grey road, fading from substance to shadow and leading, it seemed, to the very realm of darkness, where even the stars were quenched.
And that was all I could see. The Rolls was gone!
Chapter 11
I WAS up betimes the next morning and had shaved and bathed and dressed before Helena called to me to know if I was awake.
"I'm dressed," said I, "and I'm just going to do my room."
"And your back?" "Is well," said I.
"Can you carry Max into the garden?"
"I could carry you to Witchcraft," said I.
"Well, wait a minute. I'll call you." Two minutes later I climbed the little staircase and carried the cradle down.
I had warm water ready, but Helena wished for the brook, so I took a sheet from the settle, filled a pail with
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