Dark Hollow

From the opening

XXVII HE MUST BE FOUND XXVIII THE FIRST EFFORT XXIX "THERE IS BUT ONE THING TO DO" XXX TEMPEST LODGE XXXI ESCAPE XXXII THE VIGIL XXXIII THE CURTAIN LIFTED XXXIV DARK HOLLOW XXXV SUNSET

On the instant he recognised that no common interview lay before him

After one look he assumed some show of his old commanding presence and advanced bravely down the steps

"Tell me what this means," said he, but he did not turn his head as he made this request

A high and narrow gate of carefully joined boards, standing ajar in a fence of the same construction! What is there in this to rouse a whole neighbourhood and collect before it a group of eager, anxious, hesitating people?

This fence is no ordinary fence, and this gate no ordinary gate; nor is the fact of the latter standing a trifle open, one to be lightly regarded or taken an inconsiderate advantage of. For this is Judge Ostrander's place, and any one who knows Shelby or the gossip of its suburbs, knows that this house of his has not opened its doors to any outsider, man or woman, for over a dozen years; nor have his gates--in saying which, I include the great one in front--been seen in all that time to gape at any one's instance or to stand unclosed to public intrusion, no, not for a moment. The seclusion sought was absolute. The men and women who passed and repassed this corner many times a day were as ignorant as the townspeople in general of what lay behind the grey, monotonous exterior of the weather-beaten boards they so frequently brushed against.

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