There was no one stirring and he got over the fence at the back of the yard and skirted the fields in the direction of the church, finally climbing another stile and entering what he supposed to be the park.

On this side the back of the church ran out into a broad meadow, where the larger portion of the ancient abbey had once stood.

Goddard walked along close by the church walls.

He knew from his observation on the previous afternoon that he could thus come out into the road in the vicinity of the cottage, unless his way through the park were interrupted by impassable wire fences.

The ground was very heavy and he was sure not to meet anybody in the meadows in such weather.
Suddenly he stopped and looked at a buttress that jutted out from the church and for the existence of which there seemed to be no ostensible reason.