t built party of rough stones, and partly of the planks of some
wreck cast on shore. At the same moment a bright flash of lightning
darted from the clouds, followed by a crashing peal of thunder, when
immediately down came the rain.

"We may, at all events, find shelter in yonder hut," said Harry, "though
it seems scarcely large enough to admit our horses, but I will hold them
while you go inside."

They made their way down the ravine, when Algernon dismounting pushed
open the door and ran in, while Harry leading the horses followed him.

At the further end of the hut a woman was seated on a stool before the
wood fire blazing on the hearth, over which she bent, apparently engaged
in watching the contents of an iron pot boiling on it.

"Who dares intrude unbidden into my mansion," she shrieked out in a wild
unearthly tone, which made Algernon start back.

Her long grey hair hung down on either side of her colourless face, from
which beamed forth a pair of wild eyes, glowing with the fire of
madness. Her dress being of the same sombre hue as was everything in
the hut, had as Algernon entered prevented him from observing her till
she turned her face full upon him.

She rose as she spoke, confronting the two young men. "Who are you?"
she repeated; "speak, or begone, and trouble me not."

"I beg your pardon for entering without leave," said Algernon; "but the
rain is coming down so heavily that we should have been wet through in
another minute, and there is no other shelter at hand."

"That's no answer to my question," she exclaimed. "What care I for rain
or storm; let the lightning flash and the thunder roar, and do its
worst. Go your way, I say, and leave me to my solitude."

"My brother would suffer should he get wet," said Harry, stepping in.
"And I must beg you, my good lady, not to be annoyed if we remain till
the storm is over; it will probably pass away in half an hour, and we
beg not to interrupt you in what you are about."

"You are fair spoken, young sir, but you have not answered my question.
Who are you, I ask again?"

"We are the sons of Sir Ralph Castleton, and we discovered your hut by
chance, while looking for a place to obtain shelter from the rain."

"Spawn of the viper, how dare ye come hither to seek for shelter beneath
my roof?" exclaimed the woman in a voice which made the young men start,
so shrill and fierce did it sound, high above the roar of the thunder,
the howling of the wind,