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figure of the dancing dog suddenly stiffened,
    and a furious barking reached their ears. Greg also stiffened, in an
    attitude that seemed very reminiscent of his dog's, and he started
    forward to run swiftly down the beach. The dog shot to the treeline
    with a low menacing growl and Sara heard Greg shout directions at
    him, pointing up to the trees, and the dog changed direction, his great
    body leaping forcefully. Soon she heard sounds of yelling, and Greg
    too disappeared into the trees.
    Feeling deeply alarmed, she ran forward too, straining to see what
    was going on under the shadow of the trees. She thought she saw a
    shorter dark figure dart forward and attach itself to a taller figure.
    The swiftly moving man she knew was Greg. Beowulf was attacking
    someone, a trespasser. She shouted sharply, 'Don't let him bite!'
    A harsh order had Beowulf slinking back from the tall figure, and the
    strange man who had been attacked straightened, his breathing
    audible even from where she was. She faltered to a stop just behind
    Greg's shoulder, puzzled at his tenseness and very much frightened
    by the danger waves she was picking up from both him and the dog.
    'What are you doing here?' The words came from Greg like the crack
    of a whip, and she jumped.
    The other figure hesitated. 'Just taking a walk,' came from the
    unknown other man. He was shorter than Greg.
    'Where from?' Greg shot back.
    'Up north,' the man told him, gesturing vaguely with one hand.
    'That's private property too. What were you doing there?' Sara had
    never heard such an ugly tone of voice from Greg and she was
    growing more and more afraid without knowing why. The realisation
    that he truly was a stranger was brought home again forcibly when
    she heard him talk like this.
    'Just exploring. I didn't mean any harm by it.' The tone from the other
    man was apologetic, placating.
    Greg didn't appear to be mollified. 'I want you off the property in ten
    minutes,' he said evenly. Why was he in such a towering rage? He
    was standing very still and very stiff, Sara could feel it from where
    she stood. It impelled her to move, to place a tentative, soothing hand
    on the stiff shoulder just ahead. He shook it off impatiently, and she
    was so deeply hurt that she fell back. Wrong, she thought, wrong for
    me to feel this way. He's nothing but a stranger. Forget it. 'If you
    aren't off the property in ten minutes, I'll loose my dog after you. He
    knows how to search the grounds. Got that?'
    'Look, mister, I didn't mean anything by -' The man was taking
    careful steps backwards.
    'Get!' The word whipped the man into a faster pace, and he soon
    disappeared down the beach.
    Greg stood watching him go, but Sara didn't wait to find out what
    happened. She turned and started running back the way they had
    come, moving as fast as she could. It shouldn't hurt this way, she
    thought dazedly, such disappointment in a stranger after all. I
    shouldn't care.
    After a minute, Greg turned and saw the fleeing slight figure in the
    gathering darkness. 'Sara?' he called. 'Sara! Wait a moment, will you?
    Sara!'
    She increased her pace until she was running as fast as she could, her
    breath coming heavily now from ploughing through the sand. She
    didn't seem to be going anywhere. It was like a nightmare that she
    had once had, of being chased and not being able to get anywhere
    though she tried and tried.
    'Don't run so fast!' The words were shouted at her, and she heard
    pounding feet behind her. She knew he had to catch up with her soon.
    He was so much bigger and stronger for this kind of running and she
    was deplorably out of shape. Her chest heaved. 'You'll make yourself
    sick!'
    What the devil does he mean? she had time to think before two hands
    hauled her to a stop. She stood with head bowed and chest heaving,
    the air coming from her in gasps. Greg stood with his hands on her
    shoulders, frowning at her, but she didn't see.
    'Why did you run?' The tone sounded to her to be harsh