.'

'Not in the least; I am glad to assist.'

Making a kind of cradle, by clasping their hands crosswise under the
inanimate woman, they lifted her, and walked on side by side down a path
indicated by the stranger, who appeared to know the locality well.

'I had been sitting in the church for nearly an hour,' Knight resumed,
when they were out of the churchyard. 'Afterwards I walked round to the
site of the fallen tower, and so found her. It is painful to think I
unconsciously wasted so much time in the very presence of a perishing,
flying soul.'

'The tower fell at dusk, did it not? quite two hours ago, I think?'

'Yes. She must have been there alone. What could have been her object in
visiting the churchyard then?

'It is difficult to say.' The stranger looked inquiringly into the
reclining face of the motionless form they bore. 'Would you turn her
round for a moment, so that the light shines on her face?' he said.

They turned her face to the moon, and the man looked closer into her
features. 'Why, I know her!' he exclaimed.

'Who is she?'

'Mrs. Jethway. And the cottage we are taking her to is her own. She is
a widow; and I was speaking to her only this afternoon. I was at Castle
Boterel post-office, and she came there to post a letter. Poor soul! Let
us hurry on.'

'Hold my wrist a little tighter. Was not that tomb we laid her on the
tomb of her only son?'

'Yes, it was. Yes, I see it now. She was there to visit the tomb. Since
the death of that son she has been a desolate, desponding woman, always
bewailing him. She was a farmer's wife, very well educated--a governess
originally, I believe.'

Knight's heart was moved to sympathy. His own fortunes seemed in some
strange way to be interwoven with those of this Jethway family, through
the influence of Elfride over himself and the unfortunate son of that
house. He made no reply, and they still walked on.

'She begins to feel heavy,' said the stranger, breaking the silence.

'Yes, she does,' said Knight; and after another pause added, 'I think I
have met you before, though where I cannot recollect. May I ask who you
are?'

'Oh yes. I am Lord Luxellian. Who are you?'

'I am a visitor at The Crags--Mr. Knight.'

'I have heard of you, Mr. Knight.'

'And I of you, Lord Luxellian. I am glad to meet you.'

'I may say the same. I am familiar with your name in print.'

'And I with yours. Is this the house?'

'Yes.'

The door was locked. Knight, ref