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Chapter 3
ThenfrommyshelterIpeeredback,andsawtheguardandseveralpassengersgatheredroundtheopencarriagedoorandstaringinmydirection.IcouldnothavemadeamorepublicdepartureifIhadleftwithabuglerandabrassband.
Happilythedrunkenherdprovidedadiversion.Heandhisdog,whichwasattachedbyaropetohiswaist,suddenlycascadedoutofthecarriage,landedontheirheadsonthetrack,androlledsomewaydownthebanktowardsthewater.Intherescuewhichfollowedthedogbitsomebody,forIcouldhearthesoundofhardswearing.Presentlytheyhadforgottenme,andwhenafteraquarterofamile’scrawlIventuredtolookback,thetrainhadstartedagainandwasvanishinginthecutting.
Iwasinawidesemicircleofmoorland,withthebrownriverasradius,andthehighhillsformingthenortherncircumference.Therewasnotasignorsoundofahumanbeing,onlytheplashingwaterandtheinterminablecryingofcurlews.Yet,oddlyenough,forthefirsttimeIfelttheterrorofthehuntedonme.ItwasnotthepolicethatIthoughtof,buttheotherfolk,whoknewthatIknewScudder’ssecretanddarednotletmelive.IwascertainthattheywouldpursuemewithakeennessandvigilanceunknowntotheBritishlaw,andthatoncetheirgripclosedonmeIshouldfindnomercy.
Ilookedback,buttherewasnothinginthelandscape.Thesunglintedonthemetalsofthelineandthewetstonesinthestream,andyoucouldnothavefoundamorepeacefulsightintheworld.NeverthelessIstartedtorun.
