's arms, kissed and wept for joy, although their escape
was connected with the prospect of passing a tempestuous night upon a
precipitous ledge of rock, which scarce afforded footing for the four
shivering beings, who now, like the sea-fowl around them, clung there
in hopes of some shelter from the devouring element which raged beneath.
The spray of the billows, which attained in fearful succession the foot
of the precipice, overflowing the beach on which they so lately stood,
flew as high as their place of temporary refuge; and the stunning sound
with which they dashed against the rocks beneath, seemed as if they
still demanded the fugitives in accents of thunder as their destined
prey. It was a summer night, doubtless; yet the probability was slender,
that a frame so delicate as that of Miss Wardour should survive till
morning the drenching of the spray; and the dashing of the rain, which
now burst in full violence, accompanied with deep and heavy gusts of
wind, added to the constrained and perilous circumstances of their
situation.

"The lassie!--the puir sweet, lassie!" said the old man: "mony such a
night have I weathered at hame and abroad, but, God guide us, how can
she ever win through it!"

His apprehension was communicated in smothered accents to Lovel; for
with the sort of freemasonry by which bold and ready spirits correspond
in moments of danger, and become almost instinctively known to each
other, they had established a mutual confidence.--"I'll climb up the
cliff again," said Lovel--"there's daylight enough left to see my footing;
I'll climb up, and call for more assistance."

"Do so, do so, for Heaven's sake!" said Sir Arthur eagerly.

"Are ye mad?" said the mendicant: "Francie o' Fowlsheugh, and he was the
best craigsman that ever speel'd heugh (mair by token, he brake his neck
upon the Dunbuy of Slaines), wodna hae ventured upon the Halket-head
craigs after sun-down--It's God's grace, and a great wonder besides,
that ye are not in the middle o' that roaring sea wi' what ye hae done
already--I didna think there was the man left alive would hae come down
the craigs as ye did. I question an I could hae done it mysell, at this
hoar and in this weather, in the youngest and yaldest of my strength--But
to venture up again--it's a mere and a clear tempting o' Providence."

"I have no fear," answered Lovel; "I marked all the stations perfectly
as I came down, and there is still light enough left to see them