ithin. What kept Ralph away?
It was no unusual thing for him to be abroad from dawn to dusk, but
the fingers of the clock were approaching eleven, and still he did not
come. On this night, of all others, he must have wished to be at home.

Earlier in the evening Rotha had found occasion to go on some errand
to the neighboring farm, and there she had heard that towards noon
Ralph had been seen on horseback crossing Stye Head towards Wastdale.
Upon reporting this at the Moss, the old dame had seemed to be
relieved.

"He thinks of everything," she had said. All that day she had
cherished the hope that it would be possible to bury Angus over the
hills, at Gosforth. It was in the old churchyard there that her father
lay-her father, her mother, and all her kindred. It was twenty miles
to those plains and uplands, that lay beyond the bleak shores of
Wastdale. It was a full five hours' journey there and back. But when
twice five hours had been counted, and still Ralph had not returned,
the anxiety of the inmates of the old house could no longer be
concealed. In the eagerness of their expectation the clock ticked
louder than ever, the cricket chirped with more jubilant activity, the
wind whistled shriller, the ghylls rumbled longer, but no welcomer
sound broke the stillness.

At length Willy got up and put on his hat. He would go down the lonnin
to where it joined the road, and meet Ralph on the way. He would have
done so before, but the horror of walking under the shadow of the
trees where last night his father fell had restrained him. Conquering
his fear, he sallied out.

The late moon had risen, and was shining at full. With a beating heart
he passed the dreaded spot, and reached the highway beyond. He could
hear nothing of a horse's canter. There were steps approaching, and he
went on towards whence they came. Two men passed close beside him, but
neither of them was Ralph. They did not respond to his greeting when,
in accordance with the custom of the country, he bade them "Good
night." They were strangers, and they looked closely--he thought
suspiciously--at him as they went by.

Willy walked a little farther, and then returned. As he got back to
the lane that led to the house, the two men passed him again. Once
more they looked closely into his face. His fear prompted him to
speak, but again they went on in silence. As Willy turned up towards
home, the truth flashed upon him that these men were the cause of
Ralph's