upon it, but flowing in
heavenly places. The white webs shone very white in the moon, and the
green grass looked gray. A few minutes more, and the whole country was
covered with a low-lying fog, on whose upper surface the moon shone,
making it appear to Donal's wondering eyes a wide-spread inundation,
from which rose half-submerged houses and stacks and trees. One who
had never seen the thing before, and who did not know the country,
would not have doubted he looked on a veritable expanse of water.
Absorbed in the beauty of the sight he trudged on.

Suddenly he stopped: were those the sounds of a scuffle he heard on the
road before him? He ran. At the next turn, in the loneliest part of
the way, he saw something dark, like the form of a man, lying in the
middle of the road. He hastened to it. The moon gleamed on a pool
beside it. A death-like face looked heavenward: it was that of lord
Forgue--without breath or motion. There was a cut in his head: from
that the pool had flowed. He examined it as well as he could with
anxious eyes. It had almost stopped bleeding. What was he to do? What
could be done? There was but one thing! He drew the helpless form to
the side of the way, and leaning it up against the earth-dyke, sat down
on the road before it, and so managed to get it upon his back, and rise
with it. If he could but get him home unseen, much scandal might be
forestalled!

On the level road he did very well; but, strong as he was, he did not
find it an easy task to climb with such a burden the steep approach to
the castle. He had little breath left when at last he reached the
platform from which rose the towering bulk.

He carried him straight to the housekeeper's room. It was not yet more
than half-past ten; and though the servants were mostly in bed,
mistress Brookes was still moving about. He laid his burden on her
sofa, and hastened to find her.

Like a sensible woman she kept her horror and dismay to herself. She
got some brandy, and between them they managed to make him swallow a
little. He began to recover. They bathed his wound, and did for it
what they could with scissors and plaster, then carried him to his own
room, and got him to bed. Donal sat down by him, and staid. His
patient was restless and wandering all the night, but towards morning
fell into a sound sleep, and was still asleep when the housekeeper came
to relieve him.

As soon as Mrs. Brookes left Donal with lord Forgue,