ain
continued rattling on, and Stephen leant back in his corner and closed
his eyes. The yellows of evening had turned to browns, the dusky
shades thickened, and a flying cloud of dust occasionally stroked the
window--borne upon a chilling breeze which blew from the north-east.
The previously gilded but now dreary hills began to lose their daylight
aspects of rotundity, and to become black discs vandyked against the
sky, all nature wearing the cloak that six o'clock casts over the
landscape at this time of the year.

Stephen started up in bewilderment after a long stillness, and it was
some time before he recollected himself.

'Well, how real, how real!' he exclaimed, brushing his hand across his
eyes.

'What is?' said Knight.

'That dream. I fell asleep for a few minutes, and have had a dream--the
most vivid I ever remember.'

He wearily looked out into the gloom. They were now drawing near to
Camelton. The lighting of the lamps was perceptible through the veil of
evening--each flame starting into existence at intervals, and blinking
weakly against the gusts of wind.

'What did you dream?' said Knight moodily.

'Oh, nothing to be told. 'Twas a sort of incubus. There is never
anything in dreams.'

'I hardly supposed there was.'

'I know that. However, what I so vividly dreamt was this, since you
would like to hear. It was the brightest of bright mornings at East
Endelstow Church, and you and I stood by the font. Far away in the
chancel Lord Luxellian was standing alone, cold and impassive, and
utterly unlike his usual self: but I knew it was he. Inside the altar
rail stood a strange clergyman with his book open. He looked up and said
to Lord Luxellian, "Where's the bride?" Lord Luxellian said, "There's no
bride." At that moment somebody came in at the door, and I knew her to
be Lady Luxellian who died. He turned and said to her, "I thought you
were in the vault below us; but that could have only been a dream of
mine. Come on." Then she came on. And in brushing between us she chilled
me so with cold that I exclaimed, "The life is gone out of me!" and, in
the way of dreams, I awoke. But here we are at Camelton.'

They were slowly entering the station.

'What are you going to do?' said Knight. 'Do you really intend to call
on the Swancourts?'

'By no means. I am going to make inquiries first. I shall stay at the
Luxellian Arms to-night. You will go right on to Endelstow, I suppose,
at once?'

'I can hard