ss though thoughtful days of her early girlhood! Sybil
mused: she recalled the moonlit hour when Mr Franklin first paid a visit
to their cottage, their walks and wanderings, the expeditions which she
planned and the explanations which she so artlessly gave him. Her memory
wandered to their meeting in Westminster, and all the scenes of sorrow
and of softness of which it was the herald. Her imagination raised
before her in colours of light and life the morning, the terrible
morning when he came to her desperate rescue; his voice sounded in her
ear; her cheek glowed as she recalled their tender farewell.

It was past noon: Sybil had reached the term of her expedition, had
visited her last charge; she was emerging from the hills into the open
country, and about to regain the river road that would in time have
conducted her to the bridge. On one side of her was the moor, on the
other a wood that was the boundary of Mowbray Park. And now a number
of women met her, some of whom she recognised, and had indeed visited
earlier in the morning. Their movements were disordered, distress and
panic were expressed on their countenances. Sybil stopped, she spoke
to some, the rest gathered around her. The Hell-cats were coming,
they said; they were on the other side of the river, burning mills,
destroying all they could put their hands on, man, woman and child.

Sybil, alarmed for her father, put to them some questions, to which they
gave incoherent answers. It was however clear that they had seen no one,
and knew nothing of their own experience. The rumour had reached them
that the mob was advancing up Dale, those who had apprised them had,
according to their statement, absolutely witnessed the approach of the
multitude, and so they had locked up their cottages, crossed the bridge,
and ran away to the woods and moor. Under these circumstances, deeming
that there might be much exaggeration, Sybil at length resolved to
advance, and in a few minutes those whom she had encountered were out
of sight. She patted Harold, who looked up in her face and gave a
bark, significant of his approbation of her proceeding, and also of his
consciousness that something strange was going on. She had not proceeded
very far before two men on horseback, at full gallop, met her. They
pulled up directly they observed her, and said, "You had better go back
as fast as you can: the mob is out, and coming up Dale in great force."

Sybil enquired, with much agitatio