"I saw her out in the grounds, sir, in the pine walk."
"Alone?"
"Quite alone, sir, in her white silk evening-dress. It was at dusk; just before I ran in to the oak-parlour, if you remember. Mrs. Chandos and I came in together."
"What took you there?" he asked, abruptly.
I told him what—that I had stepped out, being alone, and crossed the grass.
"Well," he said, gravely, "allow me to caution you not to go out of doors after dusk, Miss Hereford; there are reasons against it. I will take care that Mrs. Chandos does not. We might have you both run away with," he added, in a lighter tone.
"There is no fear of that, sir."
"You do not know what there is fear of," he sharply answered. "Last night you looked as scared as could be. You will be fancying you see ghosts in the pine walk next, or me, perhaps, walking in my sleep."
"We thought we did, sir. At least, something was there that looked like a man."
"What kind of man?" he hastily asked.