The men vouchsafed no answer. After a little while, at a word from Cutting Tom, they stopped and waited. Tom gave a whistle, which was answered from the direction whence they had last come,—evidently by one of the men who had remained with Holyday. Being at intervals repeated, and answered at lessening distances, the whistle proved to be for the purpose of guiding these two men. Soon they appeared with the torch, but without Holyday.
"Oh, heaven! what have you done with him?" cried Millicent, turning cold.
"Only lightened him of these, lady," said one of the twain, indicating a bundle of clothing under his arm.
"And left him tied safe to a tree, lest he roam about i' the dark and do himself an injury," quoth the other.
"Come," said Tom, tightening his grasp on the girl's arm. The guide moved on, and the party made haste through the forest.
"Whither are you taking me?" Millicent asked, tearfully, but got no reply. Wondering and appalled, scarce believing she was herself, oft doubting the reality of this strange journey, she walked as she was compelled.
At last they came out of the wood and made their way over a flat, heathy plain. It seemed to Millicent that they had worked back to the neighbourhood of the river. Cutting Tom grew impatient, muttered to himself, and presently asked: "How far now?"
"'Tis straight before us," said the guide, in a voice muffled as if by the heavy beard that covered his face.
A narrow rift in the clouds let through a moment's moonlight; Millicent had a brief vision of lonely country, with a little cluster of gables ahead; then all was blotted out in thicker darkness.