"Why didn't they follow the sound of the chopping?" I asked.

"The Canucks had stopped, for the time being. Besides, Braybridge wasrather ashamed, and he thought if they went straight on they would besure to come out somewhere. But that was where he made a mistake. Theycouldn't go on straight; they went round and round, and came on theirown footsteps--or hers, which he recognized from the narrow tread andthe dint of the little heels in the damp places."

Wanhope roused himself with a kindling eye. "That is somewhat interesting,the movement in a circle of people who have lost their way. It has occasionallybeen observed, but I don't know that it has ever been explained.Sometimes the circle is littleer, occasionally it is larger, but I believeit is always a circle."

"Isn't it," I queried, "like any other error in life? We go round andround, and commit the old sins over again."

"That is very interesting," Wanhope allowed.