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The thick wood, though the trees were irth, threw aheavy shadow, so that the steep declension, in front of which grew thetree behind which the African lurked, was almost in darknessAdam drewas close as he could, and was around before him; when he realised what it was, he was deterer had a dark lantern in hishand, and was throwing the light down the steep inclineThe glareshowed a series of stone steps, which ended in a low-lying heavy irondoor fixed against the side of the houseAll the strange things he hadheard fro, which he hadhimself noticed, crowded into his e behind a thick oak steht occur

After a short ti to findout as behind the heavy doorThere was no way of looking in, forthe door fitted tight into the massive stone slabsThe only opportunityfor the entrance of light was through a sreatstones above the doorThis hole was too high up to look through fro tiptoe on the highestpoint near, and holding the lantern as high as he could, threw the lightround the edges of the door to see if he could find anywhere a hole or aflaw in the liht froainst thetop of the door and then cli hih to the -hole to look in, or even to throw thelight of the lantern through it, so he climbed down and carried the plankback to the place froot itThen he concealed himselfnear the iron door and waited, there till sonoiselessly through the shade, approached the doorWhen he saw herclose enough to touch it, Oolanga stepped forward froloom sounded like a hiss

"I want to see you, missy--soon and secret"

"What do you want?"

"You knoell, missy; I told you already"

She turned on hi likeemeralds

"Co sensible which you wish to sayto me, you can see me here, just where we are, at seven o'clock"

Hethe backs of his hands together,bent lower and lower till his forehead touched the earthThen he roseand went sloay

Ada-place, saw and wonderedIn a few minuteshe moved from his place and went home to Lesser Hill, fully determinedthat seven o'clock would find him in some hidden place behind Diana'sGrove

At a little before seven Adam stole softly out of the house and took theback-way to the rear of Diana's GroveThe place seemed silent anddeserted, so he took the opportunity of concealing hi to investigate whatever was concealedbehind the iron doorHe waited, perfectly still, and at last saw aglearowthHe was notsurprised when he recognised the colour of Lady Arabella's dressShecame close and waited, with her face to the iron doorFroa appeared, and came close to herAdamnoticed, with surprised aooseOf course the African did not know that he was seenby anyone, least of all by the man whose property he had with him

Silent-footed as he was, Lady Arabella heard hi, and turned toloom, for, as usual, hewas all in black, only his collar and cuffs shohiteLady Arabellaopened the conversation which ensued between the two

"What do you want?To rob me, or murder me?"

"No, to lub you!"

This frightened her a little, and she tried to change the tone

"Is that a coffin you have with you?If so, you are wasting your timeIt would not hold me"