But before they had even approached it they heard the bull scampering through the pond without, and in a second he dashed into the barn, knocking down the hurdle-stake in passing; the heavy door slammed behind him; and all three were imprisoned in the barn together.  The mistaken creature saw them, and stalked towards the end of the barn into which they had fled.  The girls doubled so adroitly that their pursuer was against the wall when the fugitives were already half way to the other end.  By the time that his length would allow him to turn and follow them thither they had crossed over; thus the pursuit went on, the hot air from his nostrils blowing over them like a sirocco, and not a moment being attainable by Elizabeth or Lucetta in which to open the door.  What might have happened had their situation continued cannot be said; but in a few moments a rattling of the door distracted their adversary’s attention, and a man appeared.  He ran forward towards the leading-staff, seized it, and wrenched the animal’s head as if he would snap it off.  The wrench was in reality so violent that the thick neck seemed to have lost its stiffness and to become half-paralyzed, whilst the nose dropped blood.  The premeditated human contrivance of the nose-ring was too cunning for impulsive brute force, and the creature flinched.

The man was seen in the partial gloom to be large-framed and unhesitating.  He led the bull to the door, and the light revealed Henchard.  He made the bull fast without, and re-entered to the succour of Lucetta; for he had not perceived Elizabeth, who had climbed on to the clover-heap.  Lucetta was hysterical, and Henchard took her in his arms and carried her to the door.

“You—­have saved me!” she cried, as soon as she could speak.

“I have returned your kindness,” he responded tenderly.  “You once saved me.”

“How—­comes it to be you—­you?” she asked, not heeding his reply.

“I came out here to look for you.  I have been wanting to tell you something these two or three days; but you have been away, and I could not.  Perhaps you cannot talk now?”

“Oh—­no!  Where is Elizabeth?”

“Here am I!” cried the missing one cheerfully; and without waiting for the ladder to be placed she slid down the face of the clover-stack to the floor.

Henchard supporting Lucetta on one side, and Elizabeth-Jane on the other, they went slowly along the rising road.  They had reached the top and were descending again when Lucetta, now much recovered, recollected that she had dropped her muff in the barn.

“I’ll run back,” said Elizabeth-Jane.  “I don’t mind it at all, as I am not tired as you are.”  She thereupon hastened down again to the barn, the others pursuing their way.

Elizabeth soon found the muff, such an article being by no means small at that time.  Coming out she paused to look for a moment at the bull, now rather to be pitied with his bleeding nose, having perhaps rather intended a practical joke than a murder.  Henchard had secured him by jamming the staff into the hinge of the barn-door, and wedging it there with a stake.  At length she turned to hasten onward after her contemplation, when she saw a green-and-black gig approaching from the contrary direction, the vehicle being driven by Farfrae.