o as to turn her back, the creature rather slackened her pace, and
began to browze the short grass among the heather. Tamar now slowly
advancing was taking a compass to come towards her head, when she,
perceiving her, turned directly round, and trotted on straightforward to
the knoll, which was at most not half a quarter of a mile from the
dingle; Tamar followed her, but could not reach her till she had pushed
her way in among the trees and bushes, and when Tamar reached the place,
she found her quietly feeding in the green area, surrounded by the
ruins. The light was still very imperfect, and Tamar was standing half
hid by the bushes and huge blocks of granite, doubting whether she
should not leave the cow there whilst she ran back to call the Laird to
assist her, when suddenly she was startled by the sound of voices. She
drew closer behind the block, and remained perfectly still, and ceased
to think of the cow, so great was her amazement to find persons in a
place, generally deserted by the country people, under the impression
that things were there which should not be spoken of. She then also
remembered her adventure with Sappho, and what Mrs. Margaret had told
her of the concealed passage; and now recollecting that secret passage,
she was aware that she stood not very far from the mysterious door-way.

All these thoughts crowded to her mind, but perfect quiet was needful at
the moment. As the disk of the sun approached the horizon, the light was
rapidly increasing; the dawn in those higher latitudes is however long,
but those who knew the signs of the morning were aware that it would
soon terminate, and that they whose deeds feared the light had no
time to lose.

Tamar accordingly heard low voices, speaking, as it were in the mouth of
the cavern, and then a voice of one without the cavern--of one as in
the act of departing, saying distinctly, "twelve then at midnight!" The
answer from within did not reach Tamar's ears, at least, she heard only
an indistinct murmur, but the voice without again came clear to her, and
the words were to this effect, "I will not fail; I will take care that
he shall be in no condition to return;" the answer was again lost to
Tamar, and probably some question, but the reply to this question was
clear. "It is his day to go,--the garrison can't live without
provision,--if he don't go to-day, we must skulk another twenty-four
hours,--we must not venture with him, there will be murder!" then