But he hesitated. He put off the doing that which he disliked, and he reaped the penalty.
Instead of going up to the hall, he turned back towards the lodge.
He walked rapidly away from the house.
Suddenly he heard a sound behind him as of heavy footsteps running.
Instantly the thought flashed upon him that he had been trapped; that the police had found out who he was, and, expecting he would come home, had lain in wait for him.
He did not stop to reason, or to think that if this was so he would have been captured at the lodge.
He only heard the rapidly advancing footsteps behind him, and made certain that he was the object of pursuit.
He must not be taken, at any rate, not there, where twenty people would recognize him. The scandal would be magnified tenfold. He ran rapidly in the direction of the lodge, fear lending swiftness to his limbs, weary with his wanderings.
As he darted past the lodge, Marks was at the door.
George shouted to him, ‘Remember your promise!’ and flew on like a madman.