e first
of the appearances in the dream may be easily disposed of. It means,
in plain English, the momentary cessation of the brain's intellectual
action, while a deeper wave of sleep flows over it, just as the sense
of being alone in the darkness, which follows, indicates the renewal of
that action, previous to the reproduction of another set of impressions.
Let us see what they are. A lonely pool, surrounded by an open country;
a sunset sky on the further side of the pool; and the shadow of a woman
on the near side. Very good; now for it, Mr. Armadale! How did that pool
get into your head? The open country you saw on your way from Castletown
to this place. But we have no pools or lakes hereabouts; and you can have
seen none recently elsewhere, for you came here after a cruise at sea.
Must we fall back on a picture, or a book, or a conversation with your
friend?"

Allan looked at Midwinter. "I don't remember talking about pools or
lakes," he said. "Do you?"

Instead of answering the question, Midwinter suddenly appealed to the
doctor.

"Have you got the last number of the Manx newspaper?" he asked.

The doctor produced it from the sideboard. Midwinter turned to the
page containing those extracts from the recently published "Travels in
Australia," which had roused Allan's, interest on the previous evening,
and the reading of which had ended by sending his friend to sleep.
There--in the passage describing the sufferings of the travelers from
thirst, and the subsequent discovery which saved their lives--there,
appearing at the climax of the narrative, was the broad pool of water
which had figured in Allan's dream!

"Don't put away the paper," said the doctor, when Midwinter had shown it
to him, with the necessary explanation. "Before we are at the end of the
inquiry, it is quite possible we may want that extract again. We have
got at the pool. How about the sunset? Nothing of that sort is referred
to in the newspaper extract. Search your memory again, Mr. Armadale; we
want your waking impression of a sunset, if you please."

Once more, Allan was at a loss for an answer; and, once more,
Midwinter's ready memory helped him through the difficulty.

"I think I can trace our way back to this impression, as I traced our
way back to the other," he said, addressing the doctor. "After we got
here yesterday afternoon, my friend and I took a long walk over the
hills--"

"That's it!" interposed Allan. "I remember. The sun w