e will tell you what we--what I, must do."

"But--but--" he stammered, dubious of the plan.

"Of course I can go home again to Maam now," she broke in coldly, and
she was vexed for the alarm and grief he showed at the alternative.

"I will go; I will go at once," he cried, but first he went far down on
Blaraghour for wood for a fire to cheer her loneliness, and the dusk was
down on them before he left her.

She gave him her hand at the door, a hand for once with helpless
dependence in the clinging and the confidence of it, and he held it long
without dissent from her. Never before had she seemed so beautiful or
so affable, so necessary to his life. Her trials had paled the colour of
her face and her eyes had a hint of tears. Over his shoulder she would
now and then cast a glance of apprehension at the falling night and
check a shudder of her frame.

"Good-night!" he said.

"Good-night!" she answered, and yet she did not loose her prisoned hand.

He sighed, and brought, in spite of her, an echo from her heart.

Then he drew her suddenly to his arms and scorched her face with lips of
fire.

Nan released herself and fled within. The door closed; she dared not
make her trial the more intense by seeing the night swallow up her only
living link with the human world beyond the vague selvedge of the moor.

And Gilian, till the dawn came over Cruach-an-Lochain, walked by the
side of Little Fox Loch, within view of the hut that held his heart.

CHAPTER XXXI--DEFIANCE

That there was some unusual agitation in the town Gilian could gather as
soon as he had set foot within the Arches in the early morning. It was
in the air, it was mustering many women at the well. There they stood in
loud and lingering groups, their stoups running over extravagantly while
they kept the tap running, unconscious what they were about Or they had
a furtive aspect as they whispered in the closes, their aprons wrapping
their folded arms. At the door of the New Inns, Mr. Spencer was laying
forth a theory of abduction. He had had English experience, he knew
life; for the first time since he had come to this place of poor
happenings he had found something he could speak upon with authority
and an audience to listen with respect What his theory was, Gilian might
have heard fully as he passed; but he was thinking of other things,
and all that came to him were two or three words, and one of the errant
sentences was seemingly about himself. Th