He learned also that she had brought down some
honey for sale on the day following her appearance at Ashacombe, and
had bought a sack of oatmeal at the mill, which she had taken away on a
scarecrow of an Exmoor pony. There were of course sundry stories of
her, but these were dark and uncertain, and of no value for tracing her
to her dwelling place. Then Colonel George took long rides over the
moor, crossing it this way and that from end to end, in the hope of
finding what he sought; for he had made up his mind that this strange
couple were lodged somewhere in the waste of bog and heather. But he
failed to find the least trace of them; and indeed the moor is wide now
and was far wider and wilder and more desolate in those days, before
there was a fence or a ditch to be found in the whole of it. Then
stag-hunting began, and Colonel George felt confident that with so many
people galloping over the moorland in all directions he must certainly
learn something; but here again he was disappointed. Still he went on
trying day after day, and very often came home by Ashacombe, when he
did not fail to call at Bracefort Hall, where everybody was glad to see
him, whatever the failure of his efforts.
Thus a whole month passed away without any change in Tommy Fry or any
sign that might give hope of discovering the strange woman. Lady
Eleanor then became very unhappy indeed, and blamed herself for letting
her go without further inquiry.
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