At length a dull sound reached him—the sound of a closing door or a shutter cast back. A minute later he heard the footsteps of some one moving along the walk towards him. The man trod with care, but once he stumbled.
Basset advanced. “Is that you, sir?” he asked.
“D—n!” John Audley replied out of the darkness. He halted, breathing quickly.
“I say d—n, too!” Basset replied. As a rule he was patient with the old man, but to-night his temper failed him.
The other came on. “Why did you follow me?” he asked. “What is the use? What is the use? If you are willing to help me, good! But if not, why do you follow me?”
“To see that you don’t come to harm,” Basset retorted. “As you certainly will one of these nights if you come here alone.”
“Well, I haven’t come to harm to-night! On the contrary—— But there, there, man, let us get back.”
“The sooner the better,” Basset replied. “I nearly put out an eye as I came.”
John Audley laughed. “Did you come through the yews in the dark?” he asked.
“Didn’t you?”