ng woman, no longer young, with her
prematurely white hair drawn up from her brow with a proud sweep that
suited well her sharply defined features and her air of defiance. She
was carelessly dressed after the prevailing fashion, and gave the
impression of not having her life successfully in hand, but rather of
being driven by it, as by a blustering wind, against her inclination.

The impression which had seized her, a moment ago, deepened as she went.
Something in the scene and the hastening figure roused a sense of dread.
With her, an impression was like a spark to gunpowder. Her imagination
blazed up. Life, in its most tragic aspect, seemed before her in the
lonely scene, with the lonely figure, moving, as if in pursuit of a lost
hope, towards the setting sun.

If Hadria had not paused on the brow of the hill, it is unlikely that
she would have been overtaken, but that pause decided the matter. The
stranger seemed suddenly to hesitate, wondering, apparently, what she
had done this eccentric thing for.

Hadria, feeling a presence behind her, turned nervously round and gave
a slight start.

It was so rare to meet anybody on these lonely hills, that the
apparition of a striking-looking woman with white hair, dark eyes, and
a strange exalted sort of expression, gave a shock of surprise.

As the lady had stopped short, Hadria supposed that she had lost her
way, and wished to make some enquiries.

"Can I direct you, or give you any assistance?" she asked, after a
second's pause.

"Oh, thank you, you are very kind. I have come over from Ballochcoil to
explore the country. I have been trying to find out the history of the
old houses of the district. Could you tell me, by the way, anything
about that house with the square tower at the end; I have been loitering
round it half the afternoon. And I would have given anything to know its
history, and what it is like inside."

"Well, I can help you there, for that old house is my home. If you have
time to come with me now, I will show you all over it," said Hadria,
impulsively.

"That is too tempting an offer. And yet I really don't like to intrude
in this way. I am a perfect stranger to you and--your parents I
suppose?"

"They will be delighted," Hadria assured her new acquaintance, somewhat
imprudently.

"Well, I can't resist the temptation," said the latter, and they walked
on together.

Hadria related what she knew about the history of the house. Very scanty
rec