I jerked at the window, which yielded with a loud squeak that would
certainly have given away the secret of my presence if there had been
ears to hear. But all was still in the drawing-room adjoining, and I
dropped down on to a flower bed some few feet below. Then I skirted
round to the front of the house, walking stealthily on the soft grass,
and would have made a noiseless dash for the gate had I not seen a
stream of light flowing out through the open front door across the lawn.
I checked myself just in time to draw back without being seen by a woman
and a tall man moving slowly down the path. They were Maxine and, no
doubt, du Laurier. They spoke not a word, but walked with their heads
bent, as if deeply absorbed in searching for something on the ground.
Down to the gate they went, opened it and passed out, only half closing
it behind them, so that I knew they meant presently to come back again.
I should have been thankful to escape, but the chance of meeting them
was too imminent. Accordingly I waited, and it was well I did, for as
they reappeared in three or four minutes they could not have gone far
enough to be out of sight from the gate.
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