For scarcely more than five seconds he found himself staring into the white terrified face of a girl.

Eyes wide and glowing with sudden fright met his own.

Instinctively he lifted his hand to his hat, but before he could speak the girl sprang back with a low cry and ran swiftly down the path that led into the gloom of the woods.
For several minutes Captain Plum stood as if the sudden apparition had petrified him.

He listened long after the sound of retreating footsteps had died away.

There remained behind a faint sweet odor of lilac which stirred his soul and set his blood tingling.