pOf a sudden, Minnette's reminiscences were scattered when she heard a sound that was not native to the meadow. A whistled call of sorts--and definitely human.p pSitting up--for she had indeed relaxed to near sprawling in the grass while caught up in her reverie--Minnette frowned when the next sound to reach her was that of shouting--a man shouting.p pLeaping to her feet, she looked to the tree line at the north border of the meadow in time to see a man come bursting from without the forest at a full run. He was tall--that much Minnette could distinguish from her distance--and he appeared in some sort of distress by the further look of him. His shirt, though white and bloused at the sleeves, hung open, and he wore no vest or coat about it. His breeches were black, but his legs were otherwise void of protection he wore no boots nor shoes of any kind.p pAgain the man shouted, as if tribulation were hot at his heels, and Minnette gasped as she then saw that it was indeed so. For as the ma