Here, by the help of a stout stake, he set the trap, and laid it carefully behind a bush while he went forward to reconnoitre.

As has been stated, nobody passed this way for days together sometimes; but there was just a possibility that some other pedestrian than the one in request might arrive, and it behooved Tim to be careful as to the identity of his victim.
Going about a hundred yards along the rising ground to the right, he reached a ridge whereon a large and thick holly grew.

Beyond this for some distance the wood was more open, and the course which Fitzpiers must pursue to reach the point, if he came to-night, was visible a long way forward.
For some time there was no sign of him or of anybody.

Then there shaped itself a spot out of the dim mid-distance, between the masses of brushwood on either hand.

And it enlarged, and Tim could hear the brushing of feet over the tufts of sour-grass.