can't stay here longer," he cried. "If I have talents why
should I waste them here? Give me a chance, and then the second son
may turn out to be as good as the elder."

This was spoken both bitterly and sadly, as if he felt his lot to be
hard.

"I have come about this very matter," said Mr. Polperrow. "Wilfred has
very great gifts, and the sooner he goes to Oxford the better. I have
some little influence there, and if you thought fit I would make
arrangements at once."

My mother's eyes fairly shone with joy as he said this, and then she
too joined in the plea that Wilfred should be allowed to leave home so
that his powers might have a fair chance of being tested.

My father at length gave his consent, and Mr. Polperrow went away with
the commission to procure for Wilfred an entrance into this ancient
seat of learning.

When we retired to rest I thought long over the events of the day.
What was the meaning of this sudden desire to depart? Was there a
league between the three who had advocated this step? Only a few days
before Wilfred had been speaking of going to Oxford a year later. Why
then this sudden resolution?

I fell asleep, however, without solving the problem, and as during the
next few days Wilfred wore a grieved expression and seldom spoke to any
one but his mother and Ruth, I was still deeper in mystery. When we
were all together, if he spoke to me, he spoke kindly, but when we were
alone he betrayed a hatred for me that I could not understand.

A month later my mother was in great sorrow. Wilfred had started for
Oxford.

CHAPTER VII

THE WITCHES' CAVE

As I look back over what I am now about to relate, my mind is strangely
confused with the amount of reality and unreality that appeared. At
one time I am inclined to think it all real, at another I am led to
regard it as pure imagination, or as due to the credulity of a
hot-brained youth. Be that as it may, however, I will try and set down
what I remember as faithfully as I can.

After Wilfred had gone things were very quiet. My mother seldom spoke
to me, but kept Ruth by her side, until the two became, as it seemed to
me, almost inseparable. Indeed, she took far more notice of Ruth than
she did of her own daughters. As a consequence my sisters and I were
often together, until the villagers came to say that Roger Trewinion
wanted no sweethearts but his sisters.

On the afternoon of a sultry autumn day, some time after Wilfr