“His feet must have been naked, then?”
“Not necessarily, for he may have worn veldschoens, which give no sound. I examined the ground with Klaas before coming up, and we could see no spoor beyond that made by our party.”
“What possible object could he have had,” mused Webster, “since it was not your death he sought? Do you think he mistook you for someone else?”
“Impossible! Whoever did it must have watched us, and he could only have mistaken me for you. No one has a grudge against you.”
“I see it!” cried Miss Anstrade, who had been looking with knitted brows into the fire. “Just before dusk we were talking of the Golden Rock. It was possible for an enemy to creep up undetected and to listen to our talk.”
“Yes,” said Hume, and he felt for the pocket-book that contained the map.
“That is it,” she cried; “they have taken your secret.”
Frank opened the book with trembling fingers, while the others gazed anxiously, leaning forward.
“It is gone,” he said, starting up.
While they looked at each other, with pale faces, Klaas came up.