THE PHEASANT 
about the clearing, watching furtively, but still 
the Cock did not move. Then a second bat 
came out, and they dared delay no longer. In 
twos and threes the whole seraglio slunk home- 
wards. 
All, that is, but the Yellow Pullet. The 
reign of the tyrant was over. Why then go 
back to his bondage when he could no longer 
coerce her ? She was of the woods now, and 
the woods belonged to the conqueror. But 
first she must leave the clearing, for the smell 
of blood and of death was over the place. 
No innocent folk would hunt that way to- 
night. The gossiping of the hens still came 
faintly up the path to Tonsella. She turned 
and ran in the other direction. 
It was dusk under the trees. Big white 
moths fluttered overhead and the robins went 
to roost. The Yellow Pullet had never been 
so far from home before. The wood seemed 
full of the rustling of furry-footed things. If 
she had not had the taint of man about her she 
would not have gone even so far in safety. 
By this time her sisters were all securely shut 
into the yard at Tonsella, nevertheless she felt 
no fear. As she went, she heard the patter of 
feet in front of her, and the twigs still swung 
as if something had but just passed that way. 
The first stars swam in a rift in the clouds 
201 
