Caroline ran a little way, and then
stopped to listen again. The foot
steps Were just ahead, and present
ly she oould see a something that
was darker than the shadow of the
elms, moving before her at a steady
pace*
'T'HEY' went past the churchyard
* and' passed the church. They
came to the green, with the pond
catching the moonlight like looking
glass. There were trees still along
the edge of the road, trees with
spaceh of moonlight in between.
When he crossed the moonlight
patches, Caroline was afraid. She
could see bo more than a tall man
walking as If he were tired. It wa3
when he was only a shadow that she
felt most sure that he was Jim.
They passed a little row of silent,
empty shops. They passed Mrs.
Grainger’s cottage. It bad one pale
lighted wjndow. Mrs. Grainger slept
badly, and was inordinately proud
of the fact that she often read until
past midnight. It was past midnight
DOS’/
Caroline looked back over her
shoulder and saw the window very
small and far away. The village
world, other people, firelight, lamp
light—the whole Of every-day life—
they warw all small and far,away
and left Behind.
And with that the gate-posts of
Hal%JPIace stood up In front of her
In thp fhostly light. There was no
gate between them, nor ever had
been since Caroline could remember.
But the posts ha^ always been there
—tall pillars of grey stone with a
stilt stone pineapple on top of each.
