"Adèle'll never recognize this," said Berry. "It's hopeless. What she saw was a lawn, not a prairie." I nodded. "Still," he went on, "there used to be a door in the wall—on the east side." As he spoke, he turned and looked sharply at the haggard building. "Thought I heard something," he added.
"Did you?"
I swung on my heel, and together we stared and listened. Eyes and ears alike went unrewarded. The silence of desolation hung like a ragged pall, gruesome and deathly....
Without a word we passed to the east of the ruin. After a little we came to the door in the wall. Here was no lock, and with a little patience we drew the bolts and pulled the door open. It gave on to a little lane, which ran into the by-road at a point close to where the others were waiting.
I left Berry and hastened back to the car.
Exclamations of surprise greeted my issuing from the lane, and I could read the same unspoken query in four faces at once.
"We're first in the field so far," I said. There was a gasp of relief. "Come along. We've found a way for you."
Adèle and Jill were already out of the car. Daphne and Jonah made haste to alight.
"Think we can leave her?" said Jonah, with a nod at the Rolls.
"Oh, yes. We shan't be a minute."