onder what that is?' said the baritone, whose manner had
latterly become nervous, every sound and sight causing him to turn his
head.

'It is only a turnpike,' said she. 'That light is the lamp kept burning
over the door.'

'Of course, of course, dearest. How stupid I am!'

On reaching the gate they perceived that a man on foot had approached it,
apparently by some more direct path than the roadway they pursued, and
was, at the moment they drew up, standing in conversation with the
gatekeeper.

'It is quite impossible that he could fall over the cliff by accident or
the will of God on such a light night as this,' the pedestrian was
saying. 'These two children I tell you of saw two men go along the path
toward the waterfall, and ten minutes later only one of 'em came back,
walking fast, like a man who wanted to get out of the way because he had
done something queer. There is no manner of doubt that he pushed the
other man over, and, mark me, it will soon cause a hue and cry for that
man.'

The candle shone in the face of the Signor and showed that there had
arisen upon it a film of ghastliness. Laura, glancing toward him for a
few moments observed it, till, the gatekeeper having mechanically swung
open the gate, her companion drove through, and they were soon again
enveloped in the white silence.

Her conductor had said to Laura, just before, that he meant to inquire
the way at this turnpike; but he had certainly not done so.

As soon as they had gone a little farther the omission, intentional or
not, began to cause them some trouble. Beyond the secluded district
which they now traversed ran the more frequented road, where progress
would be easy, the snow being probably already beaten there to some
extent by traffic; but they had not yet reached it, and having no one to
guide them their journey began to appear less feasible than it had done
before starting. When the little lane which they had entered ascended
another hill, and seemed to wind round in a direction contrary to the
expected route to Cliff-Martin, the question grew serious. Ever since
overhearing the conversation at the turnpike, Laura had maintained a
perfect silence, and had even shrunk somewhat away from the side of her
lover.

'Why don't you talk, Laura,' he said with forced buoyancy, 'and suggest
the way we should go?'

'Oh yes, I will,' she responded, a curious fearfulness being audible in
her voice.

After this she uttered a few o