"
Winston laughed. "There's a want of finish in the tale, but you
needn't worry about me. I didn't see a man."
"There is rather less wisdom than usual in your remarks to-night, but I
tell you I saw him," said the lad.
He passed on, and a minute later there was a cry from the inner room.
"It's there again! Can't you see the face at the window?"
Winston was in the larger room next moment, and saw, as a startled girl
had evidently done, a face that showed distorted and white to
ghastliness through the window. He also recognized it, and running
back through the hall was outside in another few seconds. Courthorne
was leaning against one of the casements as though faint with weakness
or pain, and collapsed when Winston dragged him backwards into the
shadow. He had scarcely laid him down when the window was opened, and
Colonel Barrington's shoulders showed black against the light.
"Come outside alone, sir," said Winston.
Barrington did so, and Winston stood so that no light fell on the
pallid face in the grass. "It's a man I have dealings with," he said.
"He has evidently ridden out from the settlement and fallen from his
horse."
"Why should he fall?" asked the Colonel.
Winston laughed. "There is a perfume about him that is tolerably
conclusive. I was, however, on the point of going, and if you will
tell your hired man to get my wagon out, I'll take him away quietly.
You can make light of the affair to the others."
"Yes," said Barrington.
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