rling roar swelled
up from the green. There was laughter and hooting mixed with that growl
of anger; but even the laughter was fierce. The gatehouse stood up black
against the glare of torches, and the towers threw great swinging shadows
on the ground and the steps of the Hall.

Isabel followed the two grey glimmering figures, and was astonished at
the speed with which she had to go. The hoofs of the courier's horse rang
on the cobbles of the stable-yard as they came down towards the
gatehouse, and the two wings of the door were wide-open through which he
had passed just now; but the porter was gone.

Ah! there was the crowd; but not at the Rectory. On the right the Rectory
gate lay wide open, and a flood of light poured out from the house-door
at the end of the drive. Before them lay the dark turf, swarming with
black figures towards the lower end; and a ceaseless roar came from them.
There were half a dozen torches down there, tossing to and fro; Isabel
saw that the crowd was still moving down towards the stocks and the pond.

Now the two ladies in front of her were just coming up with the skirts of
the crowd; and there was an exclamation or two of astonishment as the
women and children saw who it was that was coming. Then there came the
furious scream of a man, and the crowd parted, as three men came reeling
out together, two of them trying with all their power to restrain a
fighting, kicking, plunging man in long black skirts, who tore and beat
with his hands. The three ladies stopped for a moment, close together;
and simultaneously the struggling man broke free and dashed back into the
crowd, screaming with anger and misery.

"Marion, Marion--I am coming--O God!"

And Isabel saw with a shock of honor that sent her crouching and clinging
close to Mistress Margaret, that it was the Rector. But the two men were
after him and caught him by the shoulders as he disappeared; and as they
turned they faced Lady Maxwell.

"My lady, my lady," stammered one, "we mean him no harm. We----" But his
voice stopped, as there came a sudden silence, rent by a high terrible
shriek and a splash; followed in a moment by a yell of laughter and
shouting; and Lady Maxwell threw herself into the crowd in front.

There were a few moments of jostling in the dark, with the reek and press
of the crowd about her; and Isabel found herself on the brink of the
black pond, with Lady Maxwell on one side, and Piers on the other keeping
the crowd