Suddenly, rising apparently from the ground before him, he saw the high roof-ridges and tourelles of a long, irregular, gloomy building.  A few steps further showed him that it lay in a cup-like depression of the forest, and that it was still a long descent from where he had wandered to where it stood in the gathering darkness.  His mustang was moving with great difficulty; he uncoiled his lariat from the saddle-horn, and, selecting the most open space, tied one end to the trunk of a large tree,—­the forty feet of horsehair rope giving the animal a sufficient degree of grazing freedom.

Then he strode more quickly down the forest side towards the building, which now revealed its austere proportions, though Dick could see that they were mitigated by a strange, formal flower-garden, with quaint statues and fountains.  There were grim black allees of clipped trees, a curiously wrought iron gate, and twisted iron espaliers.  On one side the edifice was supported by a great stone terrace, which seemed to him as broad as a Parisian boulevard.  Yet everywhere it appeared sleeping in the desertion and silence of the summer twilight.  The evening breeze swayed the lace curtains at the tall windows, but nothing else moved.  To the unsophisticated Western man it looked like a scene on the stage.

His progress was, however, presently checked by the first sight of preservation he had met in the forest,—­a thick hedge, which interfered between him and a sloping lawn beyond.  It was up to his waist, yet he began to break his way through it, when suddenly he was arrested by the sound of voices.  Before him, on the lawn, a man and woman, evidently servants, were slowly advancing, peering into the shadows of the wood which he had just left.  He could not understand what they were saying, but he was about to speak and indicate by signs his desire to find the road when the woman, turning towards her companion, caught sight of his face and shoulders above the hedge.  To his surprise and consternation, he saw the color drop out of her fresh cheeks, her round eyes fix in their sockets, and with a despairing shriek she turned and fled towards the house.  The man turned at his companion’s cry, gave the same horrified glance at Dick’s face, uttered a hoarse “Sacre!” crossed himself violently, and fled also.

Amazed, indignant, and for the first time in his life humiliated, Dick gazed speechlessly after them.  The man, of course, was a sneaking coward; but the woman was rather pretty.  It had not been Dick’s experience to have women run from him!  Should he follow them, knock the silly fellow’s head against a tree, and demand an explanation?  Alas, he knew not the language!  They had already reached the house and disappeared in one of the offices.  Well! let them go—­for a mean “lowdown” pair of country bumpkins:—­He wanted no favors from them!