Whilehedisappearedthroughthefarmhousethegirlremainedforafewmomentslookinguptheroad，andtwoperspiringpolicemencameplowinguptothedoorwhereshestood。Thoughstillangry，shewasstillsilent，andaquarterofanhourlatertheofficershadsearchedthehouseandwerealreadyinspectingthekitchengardenandcornfieldbehindit。Intheuglyreactionofhermoodshemighthavebeentemptedeventopointoutthefugitive，butforasmalldifficultythatshehadnomorenotionthanthepolicemenhadofwherehecouldpossiblyhavegone。Thekitchengardenwasinclosedbyaverylowwall，andthecornfieldbeyondlayaslantlikeasquarepatchonagreatgreenhillonwhichhecouldstillhavebeenseenevenasadotinthedistance。
Everythingstoodsolidinitsfamiliarplace;theappletreewastoosmalltosupportorhideaclimber;theonlyshedstoodopenandobviouslyempty;therewasnosoundsavethedroningofsummerfliesandtheoccasionalflutterofabirdunfamiliarenoughtobesurprisedbythescarecrowinthefield;
therewasscarcelyashadowsaveafewbluelinesthatfellfromthethintree;
everydetailwaspickedoutbythebrilliantdaylightasifinamicroscope。Thegirldescribedthescenelater，withallthepassionaterealismofherrace，and，whetherornothepolicemenhadasimilareyeforthepicturesque，theyhadatleastaneyeforthefactsofthecase，andwerecompelledtogiveupthechaseandretirefromthescene。BridgetRoyceremainedasifinatrance，staringatthesunlitgardeninwhichamanhadjustvanishedlikeafairy。Shewasstillinasinistermood，andthemiracletookinhermindacharacterofunfriendlinessandfear，asifthefairyweredecidedlyabadfairy。Thesunupontheglitteringgardendepressedhermorethanthedarkness，butshecontinuedtostareatit。Thentheworlditselfwenthalf—wittedandshescreamed。Thescarecrowmovedinthesunlight。Ithadstoodwithitsbacktoherinabatteredoldblackhatandatatteredgarment，andwithallitstattersflying，itstrodeawayacrossthehill。
Shedidnotanalyzetheaudacioustrickbywhichthemanhadturnedtohisadvantagethesubtleeffectsoftheexpectedandtheobvious;shewasstillunderthecloudofmoreindividualcomplexities，andshenoticedmustofallthatthevanishingscarecrowdidnoteventurntolookatthefarm。Andthefatesthatwererunningsoadversetohisfantasticcareeroffreedomruledthathisnextadventure，thoughithadthesamesuccessinanotherquarter，shouldincreasethedangerinthisquarter。Amongthemanysimilaradventuresrelatedofhiminthismanneritisalsosaidthatsomedaysafterwardanothergirl，namedMaryCregan，foundhimconcealedonthefarmwheresheworked;andifthestoryistrue，shemustalsohavehadtheshockofanuncannyexperience，forwhenshewasbusyatsomelonelytaskintheyardsheheardavoicespeakingoutofthewell，andfoundthattheeccentrichadmanagedtodrophimselfintothebucketwhichwassomelittlewaybelow，thewellonlypartlyfullofwater。Inthiscase，however，hehadtoappealtothewomantowinduptherope。Andmensayitwaswhenthisnewswastoldtotheotherwomanthathersoulwalkedovertheborderlineoftreason。