the bittermeads mystery-第2部分

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watched　them　intently。　　It　seemed　that　it　was　the　girl　in　whom　he
was　chiefly　interested；　for　his　eyes　hardly　moved　from　her　and　in
them　there　showed　a　very　grim　and　hard　expression。

〃Pretty　enough；〃　he　mused。　　〃More　than　pretty。　　No　wonder　poor
Charles　raved　about　her；　if　it's　the　same　girl　…　if　it　is；　she　ought
to　know　what's　become　of　him。　　But　then；　where　does　this　big　chap
come　in？〃

The　〃big　chap〃　seemed　really　going　now；　though　reluctantly；　and　it
was　not　difficult　to　see　that　he　would　have　been　very　willing　to
stay　longer　had　she　given　him　the　least　encouragement。

But　that　he　did　not　get；　and　indeed　it　seemed　as　if　she　were　a
little　bored　and　a　little　anxious　for　him　to　say　good　night　and　go。

At　last　he　did　so；　and　she　retired　within　the　house；　while　he　came
swinging　down　the　garden　path；　passing　close　to　where　Dunn　lay
hidden；　but　without　any　suspicion　of　his　presence；　and　out　into　the
high　road。



CHAPTER　II

THE　FIGHT　IN　THE　WOOD


》From　his　hiding…place　in　the　bushes　Dunn　slipped　out；　as　the　big
man　vanished　into　the　darkness　down　the　road；　and　for　the　fraction
of　a　second　he　seemed　to　hesitate。

The　lights　in　the　house　were　coming　and　going　after　a　fashion　that
suggested　that　the　inmates　were　preparing　for　bed；　and　almost　at
once　Dunn　turned　his　back　to　the　building　and　hurried　very　quickly
and　softly　down　the　road　in　the　direction　the　big　man　had　just
taken。

〃After　all；〃　he　thought；　〃the　house　can't　run　away；　that　will　be
still　there　when　I　come　back；　and　I　ought　to　find　out　who　this　big
chap　is　and　where　he　comes　from。〃

In　spite　of　the　apparent　clumsiness　of　his　build　and　the　ungainliness
of　his　movements　it　was　extraordinary　how　swiftly　and　how　quietly　he
moved；　a　shadow　could　scarcely　have　made　less　sound　than　this　man
did　as　he　melted　through　the　darkness　and　a　swift　runner　would　have
difficulty　in　keeping　pace　with　him。

An　old　labourer　going　home　late　bade　the　big　man　a　friendly　good
night　and　passed　on　without　seeing　or　hearing　Dunn　following　close
behind；　and　a　solitary　woman；　watching　at　her　cottage　door；　saw
plainly　the　big　man's　tall　form　and　heard　his　firm　and　heavy　steps
and　would　have　been　ready　to　swear　no　other　passed　that　way　at　that
time；　though　Dunn　was　not　five　yards　behind；　slipping　silently　and
swiftly　by　in　the　shelter　of　the　trees　lining　the　road。

A　little　further　beyond　this　cottage　a　path；　reached　by　climbing　a
stile；　led　from　the　high　road　first　across　an　open　field　and　then
through　the　heart　of　a　wood　that　seemed　to　be　of　considerable　extent。

The　man　Dunn　was　following　crossed　this　stile　and　when　he　had　gone
a　yard　or　two　along　the　path　he　halted　abruptly；　as　though　all　at
once　grown　uneasy；　and　looked　behind。

》From　where　he　stood　any　one　following　him　across　the　stile　must　have
shown　plainly　visible　against　the　sky　line；　but　though　he　lingered
for　a　moment　or　two；　and　even；　when　he　walked　on；　still　looked　back
very　frequently；　he　saw　nothing。

Yet　Dunn；　when　his　quarry　paused　and　looked　back　like　this；　was　only
a　little　distance　behind；　and　when　the　other　moved　on　Dunn　was　still
very　near。

But　he　had　not　crossed　the　stile；　for　when　he　came　to　it　he　realised
that　in　climbing　it　his　form　would　be　plainly　visible　in　outline　for
some　distance；　and　so　instead；　he　had　found　and　crawled　through　a　gap
in　the　hedge　not　far　away。

They　came；　Dunn　so　close　and　so　noiseless　behind　his　quarry　he　might
well　have　seemed　the　other's　shadow；　to　the　outskirts　of　the　wood；
and　as　they　entered　it　Dunn　made　his　first　fault；　his　first　failure
in　an　exhibition　of　woodcraft　that　a　North　American　Indian　or　an
Australian　〃black…fellow〃　might　have　equalled；　but　could　not　have
surpassed。

For　he　trod　heavily　on　a　dry　twig　that　snapped　with　a　very　loud；
sharp　retort；　clearly　audible　for　some　distance　in　the　quiet　night；
and；　as　dry　twigs　only　snap　like　that　under　the　pressure　of
considerable　weight；　the　presence　of　some　living　creature　in　the
wood　other　than　the　small　things　that　run　to　and　fro　beneath　the
trees；　stood　revealed　to　all　ears　that　could　hear。

Dunn　stood　instantly　perfectly　still；　rigid　as　a　statue；　listening
intently；　and　he　noted　with　satisfaction　and　keen　relief　that　the
regular　heavy　tread　of　the　man　in　front　did　not　alter　or　change。

〃Good；〃　he　thought　to　himself。　　〃What　luck；　he　hasn't　heard　it。〃

He　moved　on　again；　as　silently　as　before；　perhaps　a　little　inclined
to　be　contemptuous　of　any　one　who　could　fail　to　notice　so　plain　a
warning；　and　he　supposed　that　the　man　he　was　following　must　be　some
townsman　who　knew　nothing　at　all　of　the　life　of　the　country　and　was；
like　so　many　of　the　dwellers　in　cities；　blind　and　deaf　outside　the
range　of　the　noises　of　the　streets　and　the　clamour　of　passing　traffic。

This　thought　was　still　in　his　mind　when　all　at　once　the　steady　sound
of　footsteps　he　had　been　following　ceased　suddenly　and　abruptly；　cut
off　on　the　instant　as　you　turn　off　water　from　a　tap。

Dunn　paused；　too；　supposing　that　for　some　reason　the　other　had
stopped　for　a　moment　and　would　soon　walk　on　again。

But　a　minute　passed　and　then　another　and　there　was　still　no　sound　of
the　footsteps　beginning　again。　　A　little　puzzled；　Dunn　moved
cautiously　forward。　

He　saw　nothing；　he　found　nothing；　there　was　no　sign　at　all　of　the
man　he　had　been　following。

It　was　as　though　he　had　vanished　bodily　from　the　face　of　the　earth；
and　yet　how　this　had　happened；　or　why；　or　what　had　become　of　him；
Dunn　could　not　imagine；　for　this　spot　was；　it　seemed；　in　the　very
heart　of　the　wood；　there　was　no　shelter　of　any　sort　or　kind　anywhere
near；　and　though　there　were　trees　all　round　just　the　ground　was
fairly　open。

〃Well；　that's　jolly　queer；〃　he　muttered；　for　indeed　it　had　a　strange
and　daunting　effect；　this　sudden　disappearance　in　the　midst　of　the
wood　of　the　man　he　had　followed　so　far；　and　the　silence　around　seemed
all　the　more　intense　now　that　those　regular　and　heavy　footsteps　had
ceased。

〃Jolly　queer；　as　queer　a　thing　as　ever　I　came　across；〃　he　muttered
again。

He　listened　and　heard　a　faint　sound　from　his　right。　　He　listened
again　and　thought　he　heard　a　rustling　on　his　left；　but　was　not　sure
and　all　at　once　a　great　figure　loomed　up　gigantic　before　him　and　the
light　of　lantern　gleamed　in　his　face。

〃Now；　my　man；〃　a　voice　said；　〃you've　been　following　me　ever　since　I
left　Bittermeads；　and　I'm　going　to　give　you　a　lesson　you　won't
forget　in　a　hurry。〃

Dunn　stood　quite　still。　　At　the　moment　his　chief　feeling　was　one　of
intense　discomfiture　at　the　way　in　which　he　had　been　outwitted；　and
he　experienced；　too；　a　very　keen　and　genuine　admiration　for　the
woodcraft　the　other　had　shown。

Evidently；　all　the　time　he　had　known；　or　at　any　rate；　suspected；
that　he　was　being　followed；　and　choosing　this　as　a　favourable　spot
he　had　quietly　doubled　on　his　tracks；　come　up　behind　his　pursuer；
and　taken　him　unawares。

Dunn　had　not　supposed　there　was　a　man　in　England　who　could　have
played　such　a　trick　on　him；　but　his　admiration　was　roughly　disturbed
before　he　could　express　it；　for　the　grasp　upon　his　collar　tightened
and　upon　his　shoulders　there　alighted　a　tremendous；　stinging　blow；
as　with　all　his　very　considerable　strength；　the　big　man　brought　down
his　walking…stick　with　a　resounding　thwack。

The　sheer　surprise　of　it；　the　sudden　sharp　pain；　jerked　a　quick　cry
from　Dunn；　who　had　not　been　in　the　least　prepared　for　such　an　attack；
and　in　the　darkness　had　not　seen　the　stick　rise；　and　the　other
laughed　grimly。

〃Yes；　you　scoundrel；〃　he　said。　　〃I　know　very　well　who　you　are　and
what　you　want；　and　I'm　going　to　thrash　you　within　an　inch　of　your
life。〃

Again　the　stick　rose　in　the　air；　but　did　not　fall；　for　round　about
his　body　Dunn　laid　such　a　grip　as　he　had　never　felt　before　and　as
would　for　certain　have　crushed　in　the　ribs　of　a　weaker　man。　　The　
lantern　crashed　to　the　ground；　they　were　in　darkness。

〃Ha！　　Would　you？〃　the　man　exclaimed；　taken　by　surprise　in　his　turn；
and；　giant　as　he　was；　he　felt　himself　plucked　up　from　the　ground　as
you　pluck　a　weed　from　a　lawn　and　held　for　a　moment　in　mid…air　and
then　dashed　down　again。

Perhaps　not　another　man　alive　could　have　kept　his　footing　under
such　treatment；　but；　somehow；　he　managed　to；　though　it　needed　all
his　great　strength　to　resist　the　shock。

He　flung　away　his　walking…stick；　for　he　realized　very　clearly　now
that　this　was　not　going　to　be；　as　he　had　anticipated；　a　mere　case
of　the　administration　of　a　deserved　punishment；　but　rather　the
starkest；　fiercest　fight　that　ever　he　had　known。

He　grappled　with　his　enemy；　trying　to　make　the　most　of　his　superior
height　and　weight；　but　the　long　arms　twined　about　him；　seemed　to
press　the　very　breath　from　his　body　and　for　all　the　huge　efforts　he
put　forth　with　every　ounce　of　his　tremendous　strength　behind　them；
he　could　not　break　loose　from　the　no　less　tremendous　grip　wherein
he　was　taken。

Breast　to　breast　they　fought；　straining；　swaying　a　little　this　way
or　that；　but　neither　yielding　an　inch。　　Their　muscles　stood　out　like
bars　of　steel；　their　breath　came　heavily；　neither　man　was　conscious
any　more　of　anything　save　his　need　to　conquer　and　win　and　overthrow
his　enemy。

The　quick　passion　of　hot　rage　that　had　come　upon　Dunn　when　he　felt
the　other's　unexpected　blow　still　burned　and　flamed　intensely；　so
that　he　no　longer　remembered　even　the　strange　and　high　purpose　which
had　brought　him　here。

His　adversary；　too；　had　lost　all　consciousness　of　all　other　things
in　the　lust　of　this　fierce　physical　battle；　and　when　he　gave
presently　a　loud；　half…strangled　shout；　it　was　not　fear　that　he
uttered　or　a　cry　for　aid；　but　solely　for　joy　in　such　wild　struggle
and　efforts　as　he　had　never　known　before。

And　Dunn　spake　no　word　and　uttered　no　sound；　but　strove　all　the　more
with　all　the　strength　of　every　nerve　and　muscle　he　possessed　once
again　to　pluck　the　other　up　that　he　might　dash　him　down　a　second
time。

In　quick　and　heavy　gasps　came　their　breaths　as　they　still　swayed
and　struggled　together；　and　though　each　exerted　to　the　utmost　a
strength　few　could　have　withstood；　each　found　that　in　the　other　he
seemed　to　have　met　his　match。

In　vain　Dunn　tried　again　to　lift　his　adversary　up