She was moving at random now, all her attention concentrated on avoiding the unseen assassin. Once she heard steps, someone was walking on the opposite side of the hedge against which she was crouching. She held her breath, pictured that terrific figure which she had conjured up. He was stepping lightly like herself; and she almost feared that he would hear the beating of her heart, so near did he come. Then, when she thought she could bear it no longer, the footfalls receded softly into the distance.
“If that happens again, I’ll shriek,” she said to herself. “I simply couldn’t go through it twice.”
Two more corners rounded in safety, then in a straight alley a metallic object glittered at the foot of the hedge and with a sinking heart she recognised it as the horn she had dropped.
“I’m back again at the same place. I’ll never get out of this trap!”
Again she started, stepping as softly as possible; but to her strained ears the sound of her footsteps seemed to echo and re-echo along the green-walled corridors.
“What a fool I am! I ought to have taken off my shoes long ago. Then I could go as quick as I please, without making any noise.”
She slipped off her shoes, and some of her confidence came back when she found how silently she could move.
“Now I must keep things in my head and get off the track I followed last time.”
At one remembered turning, she took a fresh track and stole along it with every precaution. Again she heard the sound of steps; but they were farther off this time, and after halting for a few seconds she felt safe to go on her way once more.
“If I don’t get out soon, I’ll faint.”