She passed round the shrubbery, unlatched the garden door, and skimmed with her keen eyes the whole twilighted space that the four walls enclosed and sheltered: they were not there.

She mounted a little ladder, which had been used for gathering fruit, and looked over the wall into the field.

This field extended to the limits of the glebe, which was enclosed on that side by a privet-hedge.

Under the hedge was Mr.Swancourt, walking up and down, and talking aloud--to himself, as it sounded at first.

No: another voice shouted occasional replies; and this interlocutor seemed to be on the other side of the hedge.