But as she was opening the secret door, to have one more look at the
sky, after she had replaced Aphrodite in the bag, it seemed as though
her lover's voice called her in anguish through the night: "Halcyone!"
and again, "Halcyone! My love!"
She stopped, petrified with emotion, and then rushed back onto the
terrace. But all was silence; and, wild with some mad fear, she set off
hurriedly, never stopping until she came to their trysting tree. But
here there was silence also, only the nightingale throbbed from the
copse, while the faint rustle of soft zephyrs disturbed the leaves.
And Jeb Hart and his comrade saw the tall white figure from their
hiding-place in the low overgrown brushwood, and Gubbs crossed himself
again, for whether she were living or some wraith they were never really
sure.
At the moment when Halcyone opened the secret door, John Derringham was
just recovering consciousness in a luxurious bed at Wendover Park,
whither he had been carried when accidentally found by the keepers in
their rounds about eight o'clock. It was several days since they had
visited this part of the park, and they had lit upon him by a fortunate
chance.
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