There came the tread of a horse’s hoofs, and she started and made a convulsive effort to crawl to one side.  She was nearer fainting than she had ever been in her life.

Then the hoof-beats stopped, and she uttered a gasping cry, all her nameless terror for the moment renewed.

A man jumped to the ground and, with a word to his animal, stooped over her.  She shrank from him in unreasoning panic.

“Who is it?  Who is it?” she sobbed.  He answered her instantly, rather curtly.

“I—­Baring.  What’s the matter?  Something gone wrong?”

She felt strong hands lifting her, and she yielded herself to them, her panic quenched.

“Oh, Major Baring!” she said faintly.  “I didn’t know you!”

Major Baring made no response.  He held her on her feet facing him, for she seemed unable to stand, and waited for her to recover herself.  She trembled violently between his hands, but she made a resolute effort after self-control.

“I—­I didn’t know you,” she faltered again.

“What’s the matter?” asked Major Baring.

But she could not tell him.  Already the suspicion that she had behaved unreasonably was beginning to take possession of her.  Yet—­yet—­Hyde must have seen she was alarmed.  He might have reassured her.  She recalled the look in his eyes, and shuddered.  She was sure he had been drinking.  She had heard someone say that he did drink.

“I—­I have had a fright,” she said at last.  “It was very foolish of me, of course.  Very likely it was a false alarm.  Anyhow, I am better now.  Thank you.”

He let her go, but she was still so shaken that she tottered and clutched his arm.

“Really I am all right,” she assured him tremulously.  “It is only—­only—­”

He put his arm around her without comment; and again she yielded as a child might have yielded to the comfort of his support.

After some seconds he spoke, and she fancied his voice sounded rather grim.

“I am going your way,” he said.  “I will walk back with you.”

Hope was crying to herself in the darkness, but she hoped he did not notice.

“I think I shall go and meet Ronnie,” she said.  “I don’t want to go back.  It—­it’s so lonely.”

“I will come in with you,” he returned.

“Oh, no!” she said quickly.  “No!  I mean—­I mean—­I don’t want you to trouble any more about me.  Indeed, I shall be all right.”

He received the assurance in silence; and she began to wonder dolefully if she had offended him.  Then, with abrupt kindliness, he set her mind at rest.

“Dry your eyes,” he said, “and leave off crying, like a good child!  Ronnie’s at the club, and won’t be home at present.  I didn’t know you were all alone, or I would have brought him along with me.  That’s better.  Now, shall we make a move?”

He slung his horse’s bridle on his arm and, still supporting her with the other, began to walk down the stony road.  Hope made no further protest.  She had always considered Ronnie’s major a rather formidable person.  She knew that Ronnie stood in awe of him, though she had always found him kind.