There was a silence; then, "Indeed," said the dancing master, in a curious dry and shocked voice. "The seventh. At what hour?"
"It is not known. Perhaps about midday, perhaps a little later—when there were black clouds in the sky."
The silence fell again, hard and full of meaning, then Cary leaned forward and laid his hand upon the other's arm "I've hunted long alone, now we'll hunt for a moment together! Tell me again."
"He came down the bank in a great noise and rolling of stone and earth. There were thick woods on the top of the bank. He came out of them like Pluto out of the earth—"
"He was alone?"
"Alone. But he had a negro waiting for him down the road."
"He told you that?"
"I left my tree and we talked a little. He was torn, he was breathless. He explained that he had started a doe and had followed through the woods. He left me and went down the road to meet his negro. They passed me, and when I came to Red Fields, I was told they had paused there. I said nothing of our meeting. I was very tired and the storm was breaking. Before it was over I was hot and cold and shaking and ill in my bed. I was ill, as I have told you, for a long time. The ninth! I always thought it was the ninth—"
"Would you know again the place where this chase occurred?"
"He came down the bank opposite the blasted oak."