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Kahlan frowned； perplexed。 〃When I was walking in front； there were spiderwebs all over。 I was picking them off my face every ten steps。〃
〃That's what I'm talking about；〃 he whispered。 〃No one had been up that part of the trail all day； but since the open place we came through； there haven't been any more。〃
〃How could that be？〃
He shook his head。 〃I don't know。 Either someone came out of the woods back by the clearing； and then went up the trail； a very hard way to travel〃…he looked her in the eyes…〃or they dropped in out of the sky。 My house is over this hill。 Let's keep our eyes sharp。〃
Richard carefully led the two of them up the rise； both scanning the woods as they went。 He wanted to run in the other direction； take them away from there； but he couldn't。 He wasn't running away without the tooth his father had given him for safekeeping。
At the top of the rise they crouched behind a big pine and looked down on his house。 Windows were broken； and the door； which he always locked； stood open。 His possessions were scattered about on the ground。
Richard stood。 〃It's been ransacked； just like my father's house。〃
She grabbed a fistful of his shirt and hauled him back down。
〃Richard！〃 she whispered angrily。 〃Your father may have e home just like this。 Maybe he went in just like you are about to do； and they were waiting for him。〃
She was right； of course。 He ran his forgers through his hair； thinking。 He looked back toward the house。 Its back sat hard up against the woods with its door facing the clearing。 Since it was the only door； anyone inside would expect him to e running in that way。 That's where they would wait； if they were inside。
〃All right；〃 he whispered back； 〃but there's something inside I have to get。 I'm not leaving without it。 We can sneak around the back； I'll get it； and then we will be away from here。〃
Richard would have preferred not to take her； but he didn't want to leave her waiting on the trail； alone。 They made their way through the woods； through the tangle of brush； skirting the house； giving it a wide berth。 When he reached the place where he would have to approach the back of the house； he motioned her to wait。 She didn't like the idea； but he would take no argument。 If there was anyone in there； he didn't want them getting her as well
Leaving Kahlan under a spruce tree； Richard started cautiously toward the house； following a serpentine route to stay on the areas of soft needles instead of treading on dry leaves。 When he finally saw the back bedroom window； he stood frozen； listening。 He heard no sound。 Carefully； his heart pounding； he took slow crouched steps。 There was movement at his feet。 A snake wriggled past his foot。 fie waited for it to pass。
At the weathered back of his house； he gently put his hand on the bare wooden frame of the window and raised his head high enough to look inside。 Most of the glass was broken out； and he could see that his bedroom was a mess。 The bedding was slashed open。 Prized books were torn apart and their pages strewn about the floor。 To the far side of the room the door to the front room was opened partway； but not enough to see beyond。 Without a wedge under it； that was the spot the door always swung to on its own。
Slowly； he put his head in the window and looked down at his bed。 Below the window was the bottom bedpost； and hanging from it were his pack and the leather thong with the tooth； right where he had left them。 He brought his arm up and started to reach through the window。
There was a squeak from the front room； a squeak he knew well。 He went cold with fright。 It was the squeak his chair made。 He had never fixed the squeak because it seemed a part of the chair's personality； and he couldn't bring himself to alter it。 Soundlessly； he dropped back down。 There could be no doubt： someone was in the front room； sitting in his chair； waiting for him。
Something caught his eye； making him look to the right。 A squirrel sat on a rotting stump watching him。 Please； he thought desperately to himself； please don't start chattering at me to leave your territory。 The squirrel。 watched him for a long moment； then jumped off the stump to a tree； scurried up； and was gone。
Richard let out his breath； and raised himself back up to look in the window again。 The door still stood as it had before。 Quickly he reached inside and carefully lifted the pack and leather thong with the tooth off the bedpost； listening wide…eyed all the time for the slightest sound from beyond the door。 His knife was on a small table on the other side of the bed。 There was no chance of retrieving it。 He lifted the pack through the window； being careful not to let it bump against any of the remaining shards of broken glass。
With his booty in hand； Richard moved quickly but silently back the way he had e； resisting a strong urge to break into a run。 He looked over his shoulder as he went to be sure no one followed。 He put his head through the loop of leather and tucked the tooth into his shirt。 He never let anyone see the tooth； it was only for the keeper of the secret book to see。
Kahlan waited where he had left her。 When she saw him； she sprang to her feet。 He crossed his lips with his finger to let her know to keep silent。 Slinging the pack over his left shoulder； he put his other hand gently on her back to move her along。 Not wanting to go … back the way they had e； he guided her through the woods to where the trail continued above his house。 Spiderwebs strung across the trail glistened in the last rays of the setting sun and they both breathed out in relief。 This trail was longer and much more arduous； but it led where he was going。 To Zedd。
The old man's house was too far to reach before dark and the trail was too treacherous to travel at night； but he wanted to put as much distance as he could between them and whomever waited back at his house。 While there was light； they would keep moving。
Coldly； he wondered if whoever was in his house could be the same person who had murdered his father。 His house was torn up just like his father's had been。 Could they have been waiting for him as they had waited for his father？ Could it be the same person？ Richard wished he could have confronted him； or at least seen who it was； but something inside him had strongly warned him to get away。
He gave himself a mental shake。 He was letting his imagination have too free a rein。 Of course something inside had warned him of danger； warned him to get away。 He had already gotten away with his life when he shouldn't have once this day。 It was foolish to trust in luck once； twice was arrogance of the worst kind。 It was best to walk away。
Still； he wished he could have seen who it was； been sure there was no connection。 Why would someone tear his house apart； as his father's had been torn apart？ What if it was the same person？ He wanted to know who had killed his father。 He burned to know。
Even though he had not been allowed to see his father's body at his house； he had wanted to know how he was killed。 Chase had told him； very gently； but he had told hi