Was this the meaning of
her friend's vagary? Would he tell her? She would never ask him, but would
give worlds to know.
Presently, and quite suddenly, as they pushed their way, now in silence
broken only by Chevenix's cheerful whistling, upon that backbone of a
broad hill-country--quite suddenly her heart leaped, and then stood fast.
"Look, look!" she said softly. "There's Jack, close to us!" In a sheltered
hollow some hundred feet below the level at which they were, a hooded
figure in pure white was startlingly splashed upon the grey-brown of the
dry hills. The peak of a cowl shot straight above his head, and the
curtains of it covered his face. He sat, squatting upon the turf, with a
lifted hand admonishing. About him, with cocked ears, and quick side-
glances, were some six or seven hares, some reared upon their haunches,
some, with sleek heads, intent upon the herbage, one lopping here and
there in quest, but none out of range of a quick hand. Above his head,
high in the blue, birds were wheeling, now up, now down. Peewits tumbling
heavily, pigeons with beating wings, sailing jackdaws--higher yet, serene
in rarity, a brown kestrel oared the sky.
Sanchia's soft eyes gleamed with wet.
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