In a little while Mary was traveling at his side again. And from then on
he climbed at intervals to the higher swellings of the gully edge and
scanned the tundra. Twice he saw men, and from their movements he
concluded their enemies believed they were hidden somewhere on the
tundra not far from the range-houses.
Three-quarters of an hour later they came to the end of the shallow
ravine, and half a mile of level plain lay between them and the kloof.
For a space they rested, and in this interval Mary smoothed her long
hair and plaited it in two braids. In these moments Alan encouraged her,
but he did not lie. He told her the half-mile of tundra was their
greatest hazard, and described the risks they would run. Carefully he
explained what she was to do under certain circumstances. There was
scarcely a chance they could cross it unobserved, but they might be so
far ahead of the searchers that they could beat them out to the kloof.
If enemies appeared between them and the kloof, it would be necessary to
find a dip or shelter of rock, and fight; and if pursuers from behind
succeeded in out-stripping them in the race, she was to continue in the
direction of the kloof as fast as she could go, while he followed more
slowly, holding Graham's men back with his rifle until she reached the
edge of the gorge.
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