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you ill？〃
〃No；〃 he answered。 〃No。 I've been looking for Mr。 Clive。〃
〃Have you？〃 she said； a little surprised apparently； but in no
way flustered or disturbed。 〃Did you find him？〃
Dunn did not answer； for indeed he could not； and she said again：
〃Did you find him？〃
Still he made no answer； for it seemed to him those four words were
the most awful that any one had ever uttered since the beginning of
the world。
〃What is the matter？〃 she said again。 〃Is anything the matter？〃
〃Oh； no； no；〃 he said； and he gave himself a little shake like a
man wakening from deep sleep and trying to remember where he was。
〃Well； then；〃 she said。
〃I found Mr。 Clive；〃 he said hardly and abruptly。 And he repeated
again： 〃Yes； I found him。〃
They remained standing close together and facing each other； and
he saw her as through a veil of red； and it was as though a red
mist enveloped her； and where her shadow lay the earth was red； he
thought； and where she put her foot it seemed to him red tracks
remained； and never before had he understood how utterly he loved
her and must love her； now and for evermore。
But he uttered no sound and made no movement； only stood very still；
thinking to himself how dreadful it was that he loved her so greatly。
She was not paying him； any attention now。 A rose bush was near by；
and she picked one of the flowers； and arranged it carefully at her
waist。
She said； still looking at him：
〃Do you know … I wish you would shave yourself？〃
〃Why？〃 he mumbled。
〃I should like to see you；〃 she answered。 〃I think I have a
curiosity to see you。〃
〃I should think you could do that well enough；〃 he said in the same
low； mumbled tones。
〃No；〃 she answered。 〃I can only see some very untidy hair and a
pair of eyes … not very nice eyes； rather frightening eyes。 I
should like to see the rest of your face some day so as to know
what it's like。〃
〃Perhaps you shall … some day；〃 he said。
〃Is that a threat？〃 she asked。 〃It sounded like one。〃
〃Perhaps；〃 he answered。
She laughed lightly and turned away。
〃You make me very curious；〃 she said。 〃But then； you 'ye always
done that。〃
She went back to her seat by her mother； and he walked on moodily
to the house。
Mrs。 Dawson said to Ella：
〃How can you talk to that man； my dear？ I think he looks perfectly
dreadful … hardly like a human being。〃
〃I was just telling him he ought to shave himself；〃 said Ella。
〃I told him I should like to know what he was really like。〃
〃I shall ask father；〃 said Mrs。 Dawson sternly； 〃to make it a
condition of his employment here。〃
CHAPTER XVII
A DECLARATION
Dunn knew very well that he ought to give immediate information to
the authorities of what had happened。
But he did not。 He told himself that nothing could help poor John
Clive； and that any precipitate action on his part might still
fatally compromise his plans； which were now so near completion。
But his real reason was that he knew that if he came forward he
would be very closely questioned； and sooner or later forced to tell
the things he knew so terribly involving Ella。
And he knew that to surrender her to the police and proclaim her to
the world as guilty of such things were tasks beyond his strength；
though； to himself； with a touch of wildness in his thoughts； he
said that no proved and certain guilt should go unpunished even
though his own hand … It was a train of ideas he did not pursue。
〃Charley Wright first and now John Clive；〃 he said to himself。 〃But
the end is not yet。〃
Again he would not let his thoughts go on but checked them abruptly。
In this dark and troubled mood he went out to busy himself with the
garden； and all the time he worked he watched with a sort of vertigo
of horror where Ella sat in the sunshine by her mother's side； her
white hands moving nimbly to and fro upon her needlework。
It was not long； however； before the tragedy of the wood was
discovered； for Clive had been seen to go in that direction； and
when he did not return a search was made that was soon successful。
The news was brought to Bittermeads towards evening by a tradesman's
boy； who came up from the village to bring something that had been
ordered from there。
〃Have you heard？〃 he said to Dunn excitedly。 〃Mr。 Clive's been shot
dead by poachers。〃
〃Oh … by poachers？〃 repeated Dunn。
〃Yes； poachers；〃 the boy answered； and went on excitedly to tell
his tale with many； and generally very inaccurate； details。
But that the crime had been discovered and instantly set down to
poachers was at least certain； and Dunn realized at once that the
adoption of this simple and apparently plausible theory would put
an end to all really careful investigation of the circumstances
and make the discovery of the truth highly improbable。
For the idea that the murder was the work of poachers would； when
once adopted； fill the minds of the police and of every one else；
and no suspicion would be directed elsewhere。
By the tremendous relief he felt； Dunn understood how heavy had been
the burden of fear and apprehension that till now had oppressed him。
If he had not found that handkerchief … if he had not secured that
letter … why； by now the police would be at Bittermeads。
〃All the same；〃 he thought。 〃No one who is guilty shall escape
through me。〃
But what this phrase meant； and what he intended to do； he would
not permit himself to think out clearly or try to understand。
The boy； having told his story； hurried off to spread the news
elsewhere to more appreciative ears； for； he thought disgustedly；
it might have been just nothing at all for all the interest the
gardener at Bittermeads had shown。
As soon as he was gone； Dunn went across to the house； and going up
to the window of the drawing…room where Ella and her mother were
having tea； he tapped on the pane。
Ella looked up and saw him； and came at once to open the window；
while from behind Mrs。 Dawson frowned in severe disapproval of what
she considered a great liberty。
〃Mr。 Clive has been shot；〃 Dunn said abruptly。 〃They say poachers
did it。 He was killed instantly。〃
Ella did not seem at first to understand。 She looked puzzled and
bewildered； and did not seem to grasp the full import of his words。
〃What … what do you say？〃 she asked。 〃Mr。 Clive … Who's killed？〃
Dunn thought to himself that her acting was the most wonderful thing
he had ever seen。
It was extraordinary that she should be able to make that grey
pallor come over her cheeks as though the meaning of what he said
were only now entering her mind； wonderful that she should be able
so well to give the idea of a great horror and a great doubt coming
slowly into her startled eyes。
〃Mr。 Clive？〃 she said again。
〃Yes； he's been killed；〃 Dunn said。 〃By poachers； apparently。〃
〃What is that？ What is that man saying？〃 shrilled Mrs。 Dawson from
behind。 〃Mr。 Clive … John … why； he was here yesterday。〃
Dunn turned his back and walked away。 He heard Ella call after him；
but he would not look back because he feared what he might do if he
obeyed her call。
With an odd buzzing in his ears； with the b