This time I wasn't
afraid to follow--I felt that I must know what she wanted. I sprang
up and ran out. She was at the other end of the passage, and I
expected her to take the turn toward my mistress's room; but instead
of that she pushed open the door that led to the backstairs. I
followed her down the stairs, and across the passageway to the back
door. The kitchen and hall were empty at that hour, the servants
being off duty, except for the footman, who was in the pantry. At
the door she stood still a moment, with another look at me; then she
turned the handle, and stepped out. For a minute I hesitated. Where
was she leading me to? The door had closed softly after her, and I
opened it and looked out, half-expecting to find that she had
disappeared. But I saw her a few yards off, hurrying across the
court-yard to the path through the woods. Her figure looked black
and lonely in the snow, and for a second my heart failed me and I
thought of turning back. But all the while she was drawing me after
her; and catching up an old shawl of Mrs. Blinder's I ran out into
the open.
Emma Saxon was in the wood-path now. She walked on steadily, and I
followed at the same pace, till we passed out of the gates and
reached the high-road. Then she struck across the open fields to the
village. By this time the ground was white, and as she climbed the
slope of a bare hill ahead of me I noticed that she left no
foot-prints behind her. At sight of that, my heart shrivelled up
within me, and my knees were water.
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