In that cupola was a spyglass.
Annabel opened a window a few inches, took the spyglass from its rack, adjusted it, laid it on the sill of the open window and knelt, the glass at her eye.

The floor of the cupola was very dusty and she was wearing her newest and best gown, but she did not seem to mind.
Through the glass she saw the long slope of Cannon Hill, with the beacon at the top and Captain Mayo's house near it.

The main road was deserted save for one figure, that of her late caller.

He was mounting the hill in long strides.
She watched him gain the crest and pass over it out of sight.

Then she shifted the glass so that it pointed toward the spot beyond the curve of the hill, where the top of a thick group of silver-leafs hid the parsonage.