ortured mind could bear, and she had screamed loud and
long, something snapped in her brain and gave relief. But it left her
without a memory, and with the ways and speech of a little child.

Her mind was a blank! She played with the seaweed and smiled, till the
women's hearts were like to break for her, and the words stuck in the
men's throats as they looked at her and talked.

"She be mazed, poor maid!" they said gently lest she should hear them.
"'Twould break Ben's heart ef ee knawed 'ur was so!"

That was seven long years ago. And to-night Bess seemed loth to leave
the fire, but sat hugging her knees in a restless fashion, and staring
at the blackening embers in a puzzled way. A tremendous blast struck the
cottage, and nearly shook the kitchen window out of its fastenings. The
wind came shrieking through the holes in the shutter like a revengeful
demon, and retreated again with a melancholy groan.

It pleased Bess, and she hugged her knees the tighter, and turned her
head and waited for the next loud roar. It came, and then another, and
another, till it seemed almost impossible for the little cottage to hold
out against its fury!

Then "Daft Bess" sprang from her seat with a cry of gladness, and ran
out into the night!

Along the path of the cliff she ran as fast as her bare feet would carry
her, struggling and buffeting with the wind and spray till she reached
the "cutting" down to the beach.

It was only a broken track where the rocks sloped and jagged a little,
and not too safe at the best of times. She tried to get a foothold, but
the wind was too strong, and she was driven back again and again. Then
it lulled a little, and she began to descend.

Half-way down there was an ugly turn in the path, and she waited for a
gust to pass before taking it. The wind was stronger than ever out here
on the front of the cliff, but she held tight to the jagged rock
above.

Round it swept, tearing loose bits of rock and soil from every corner,
till her face was cut by the sharpness of the flints!

[Illustration: THE ROCK SHE CLUNG TO GAVE WAY.]

Close against the cliff it blew until she was almost breathless, when
the rock she clung to gave way, and she fell down and down!

* * * * *

Jacob Tressider was awake. He had heard a noise like the breaking of
delf in the kitchen below, and he wondered if Bess had heard it too. He
got out of bed and dressed himself, and then came down the