104 FORSAKES THE WOOD 



the wood and the murderer up above whom 

 he had surprised in the act of looking down 

 at him. Short as the day was, he thought 

 that it would never end ; and the moment the 

 sun dipped below the plain he stole away noise- 

 lessly as a ghost, ascended the opposite hill, 

 made along the high ridge, passed the earth- 

 works, crossed the old camp on Bartinney and 

 came to the chantry, where he stood awhile with 

 his face towards the sunset. He seemed to be 

 watching the expiring effort of day, but he was 

 really considering where he should forage, above 

 all where he should sit, on the morrow. He 

 had no wish to sit on the hill ; he wanted to get 

 farther away from the wood than that ; farther 

 from its horrid association with blood. He 

 thought of the island ; he thought of a place 

 that had once taken his fancy on the cliffs ; 

 he thought of Sennen Dunes, and in the end 

 decided to seek a form there. The moment he 

 had made up his mind he glanced along his 

 trail, and, descending the hill, set out across the 

 lowland. 



That back look told that he had the pine- 

 marten in mind ; and well he might, for she was 

 no mean enemy. She had watched the hare 

 leave the wood, but so great was her dread of 

 man that she feared to follow till the dusk 



