ies of Mumbo Jumbo, had taken lodgings in the village previous to
beginning the actual removal of the stones.

This was the day after Knight's arrival. To enjoy for the last time the
prospect seaward from the summit, the vicar, Mrs. Swancourt, Knight, and
Elfride, all ascended the winding turret--Mr. Swancourt stepping
forward with many loud breaths, his wife struggling along silently, but
suffering none the less. They had hardly reached the top when a large
lurid cloud, palpably a reservoir of rain, thunder, and lightning, was
seen to be advancing overhead from the north.

The two cautious elders suggested an immediate return, and proceeded to
put it in practice as regarded themselves.

'Dear me, I wish I had not come up,' exclaimed Mrs. Swancourt.

'We shall be slower than you two in going down,' the vicar said over his
shoulder, 'and so, don't you start till we are nearly at the bottom, or
you will run over us and break our necks somewhere in the darkness of
the turret.'

Accordingly Elfride and Knight waited on the leads till the staircase
should be clear. Knight was not in a talkative mood that morning.
Elfride was rather wilful, by reason of his inattention, which she
privately set down to his thinking her not worth talking to. Whilst
Knight stood watching the rise of the cloud, she sauntered to the other
side of the tower, and there remembered a giddy feat she had performed
the year before. It was to walk round upon the parapet of the
tower--which was quite without battlement or pinnacle, and presented a
smooth flat surface about two feet wide, forming a pathway on all the
four sides. Without reflecting in the least upon what she was doing she
now stepped upon the parapet in the old way, and began walking along.

'We are down, cousin Henry,' cried Mrs. Swancourt up the turret. 'Follow
us when you like.'

Knight turned and saw Elfride beginning her elevated promenade. His face
flushed with mingled concern and anger at her rashness.

'I certainly gave you credit for more common sense,' he said.

She reddened a little and walked on.

'Miss Swancourt, I insist upon your coming down,' he exclaimed.

'I will in a minute. I am safe enough. I have done it often.'

At that moment, by reason of a slight perturbation his words had caused
in her, Elfride's foot caught itself in a little tuft of grass growing
in a joint of the stone-work, and she almost lost her balance. Knight
sprang forward with a face of horro