a
white smother and blotted everything out.

"We cross the beck," said Helen. "Then we go nearly straight down,
keeping this side of the big ghyll."

"As far away as possible, I hope. I don't like its look," Miss Jardine
remarked.

Festing agreed with her. So far as he could see, the descent looked
forbidding, but there was no sign of the sky's clearing, and it was
obvious that they must get down. The thunder had gone, but the mist
brought a curious, searching damp, and a cold wind had begun to blow. He
was glad to think Helen knew the way.

She took them down a steep pitch where small rocky ledges dropped nearly
vertical among patches of rotten turf and it was needful to get a good
grip with one's hands as well as with one's feet. Festing helped Miss
Jardine when he could, but he had an unpleasant feeling that a rash
step might take him over the edge of a precipice. Sometimes he could see
Helen in front, and sometimes, for a few moments, her figure was lost
in the mist. He was glad to note that she was apparently going down with
confidence.

After a time the slope got easier and she stopped, lifting her hand.
Festing found her looking into a ravine through which water flowed. It
was not very deep, but its sides were perpendicular. Seeing that Miss
Jardine was some distance behind, she looked at Festing with a quiet
smile.

"There is a place where one can cross without much trouble, but I don't
know whether to go up or down."

Festing felt his heart beat. It looked as if she had taken him into her
confidence and asked his help.

"Not down, I think. That would take us to the big ghyll. Let's try up,
and cross at the first practicable spot."

Helen made a sign of agreement, and when Miss Jardine joined them they
turned back along the edge of the ravine. By and by Helen stopped where
patches of wet soil checkered the steep rock and a mountain-ash offered
a hold. Almost immediately below the spot, the stream plunged over a
ledge and vanished into the mist.

Festing looked at Helen. The descent would be awkward, if not dangerous,
but he could trust her judgment. It was the first time he had allowed a
woman to give him a lead in a difficulty, and he admitted that he would
not have done so had his guide been anybody else.

"I think we can get across, and I don't want to go too far up," she
said. "If you don't mind helping Alison--"

"I'll throw the sacks across first," Festing replied.

He swung them round b