He laughed almost noiselessly, though he still neither moved nor spoke. It was as if the sound of his laugh touched a spring within me, and I lifted a sharp piece of stone lying near my feet. I felt a sudden rage, an extraordinary desire to destroy. I could actually feel my lips draw back ever so little, just like the lips of an angry terrier. I had no longer the faintest sensation of fear: on the contrary, what I wanted was for him to make a movement forward, a gesture that I could take as threatening. And the rough, natural weapon I had picked up must have acquired a sudden appearance of dangerousness, for our visitor drew back and his face altered. Then he laughed more loudly and on a different note as he passed on his way down the valley. I felt elated. Somehow, I was certain my stone would not have missed its mark, and that there would have been no hesitation, no lack of force, on the part of the wielder. Katherine and I watched him as he retreated, now disappearing from our sight, and now again appearing, but always at a point farther down. “Well, he’s gone,” I said. “He was horrible looking.” I faced her with a proud consciousness of having behaved very well. “Do you know what _you_ looked like?” asked Katherine. And before I could answer: “You looked just like David when he threw the stone.” I blushed. Then, “I never cared much for David,” I answered ungraciously, and moreover untruly, for I was, secretly, extremely pleased and flattered. “Neither did I till a minute ago, but that was because I didn’t know what he was like.” My blush deepened. “Well, the beast’s gone at any rate,” I said to cover my gratification. “I will tell Michael when we get home. He can’t be prowling about here for any good.” “Who is Michael?” “One of our policemen――the decentest.” * * * * * We hid the basket under the heather. A quiet had fallen upon us, through which the noise of the splashing water seemed to weave itself in patterns and arabesques of sound.