sullen and impatient, but I knew he loved the child too well to
see her suffer any danger, and so I settled back to work and was
satisfied enough till the pies were all in. Then I got uneasy,
and, hearing nothing of either of them, I started in this
direction because they told me John had taken the other. And here
I found her, sir, right in the heart of these ruins. She was
playing with stones just as Peggy dear is doing now. Greatly
relieved, I was taking her away when I thought I heard John
calling. Stepping up to the edge just behind where you are
standing, sir--yes, there, where you get such a broad outlook up
and down the ravine, I glanced in the direction from which I had
heard his call--Just wait a moment, sir; I want to know the exact
time."

Stopping, she pulled out her watch and looked at it, while he,
faltering up to the verge which she had pointed out, followed her
movements with strange intensity as she went on to say in
explanation of her act:

"The time is important, on account of a certain demonstration I am
anxious to make. You will remember that I was expecting to see
John, having heard his voice in the ravine. Now if you will lean a
little forward and look where I am pointing, you will notice at
the turn of the stream, a spot of ground more open than the rest.
Please keep your eyes on that spot, for it was there I saw at this
very hour twelve years ago the shadow of an approaching figure;
and it is there you will presently see one similar, if the boy I
have tried to interest in this experiment does not fail me. Now,
now, sir! We should see his shadow before we see him. Oh, I hope
the underbrush and trees have not grown up too thick! I tried to