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.' 



I make no pretence of being more courageous 

 than my neighbours, and, in this juncture, perhaps 



