louds, and
also what was left of the daylight in the west was glimmering full upon
her. The house was close to the road--apparently an old
farmstead--turning blank dark walls and roofs to them, so that it was
evidently uninhabited or else inhabited only at the other side. The
young woman looked up at it, apparently not without distrust, but even
to her keen scrutiny there was no sign of life. For the rest, the road
lay through a glen, the village was out of sight, and the hills around
them were like the hills in Hades--silent, shadowy and cold.

It seemed an unearthly thing that she should have come there to stand
and lean against the gate, as if to shut him into his self-sought trap;
and there was no impatience about this woman--she stood quite still in
that dark, desolate place, as though she was perfectly contented to wait
and wait--for what? how long?--these were the questions he asked
himself. Was this dark house the abode of evil spirits with which she
was in league? and if so, what result would accrue to him? There are
circumstances which suggest fantastic speculations to the most learned
man.

At length he heard a footfall. He could not tell where at first, but, as
it approached, he saw a countryman in a carter's blouse coming across
the opposite field. He got through the hedge and came toward the gate.
Then the girl spoke in her strong voice and north-country accent, but
Skelton would hardly have known the voice again, it was so soft and sad.

'I've been waiting on ye, Johnnie; some women thinks shame to be first
at the trysting, but that's not me when I loves ye true.'

At this Skelton by an impulse of honour thought to pass out of ear-shot,
and then another motive held him listening. He thought of the ghostly
thing he had seen by this girl, of the wild tale the ploughman had told.
The passion of investigation, which had grown lusty by long exercise,
rose within him triumphing over his personal inclinations. Too much was
at stake to miss a chance like this. Honour in this situation seemed
like a flimsy sentiment. He waited for the answer of the girl's lover
with breathless interest.

The man was evidently a fine young fellow, tall and strong, and when he
spoke it was not without a touch of manly indignation in his tone.

'If you love me true, Jen, I can't think what the meaning of your doings
is. It's two years since you came to live in the glen, and you can't say
as you've not understood my meaning plai