THE DOUBLE ALIBI 153 



along the loch-side. He was making, no doubt, 

 for the little glen up which I fancied that he must 

 have retreated on the first occasion when I saw 

 him. I set off walking round the tarn on my own 

 side the left side expecting to anticipate him, 

 and that he must pass me on his way up the little 

 burnside. But I had miscalculated the distance, 

 or the pace. He was first at the burnside ; and 

 now I cast courtesy and everything but curiosity 

 to the winds, and deliberately followed him. He 

 was a few score of yards ahead of me, walking 

 rapidly, when he suddenly climbed the burnside 

 to the left, and was lost to my eyes for a few 

 moments. I reached the place, ascended the steep 

 green declivity and found myself on the open 

 undulating moor, with no human being in sight ! 



The grass and heather were short. I saw no 

 bush, no hollow, where he could by any possibility 

 have hidden himself. Had he met a Boojum he 

 could not have more ' softly and suddenly vanished 

 away.' 



1 make no pretence of being more courageous 

 than my neighbours, and, in this juncture, perhaps 



