" said she, "I should die."

"Oh, nonsense!" said he, in a cheerful way; but the hollow echoes of the
cavern made his voice sound sepulchral. "There is no beast at all in
here, you may be sure. And I have often thought of the fright a wild-cat
or a beaver may have got when he came in here in the night, and then
discovered he had stumbled on a lot of sleeping men--"

"Of men!"

"They say this was a sanctuary of the Culdees; and I often wonder how
the old chaps got their food. I am afraid they must have often fallen
back on the young cormorants: that is what Major Stuart calls an
expeditious way of dining--for you eat two courses, fish and meat, at
the same time. And if you go further along, Gertrude, you will come to
the great altar-stone they used."

"I would rather not go," said she. "I--I do not like this place. I think
we will go back now, Keith."

As they cautiously made their way back to the glare of the entrance, she
still held his hand tight; and she did not speak at all. Their footsteps
echoed strangely in this hollow space. And then the air grew suddenly
warm; and there was a glow of daylight around; and although her eyes
were rather bewildered, she breathed more freely, and there was an air
of relief on her face.

"I think I will sit down for a moment, Keith," said she; and then he
noticed, with a sudden alarm, that her cheeks were rather pale.

"Are you ill?" said he, with a quick anxiety in his eyes "Were you
frightened?"

"Oh, no!" said she, with a forced cheerfulness, and she sat down for a
moment on one of the smooth boulders. "You must not think I am such a
coward as that. But--the chilling atmosphere--the change--made me a
little faint."

"Shall I run down to the boat for some wine for you? I know that Janet
has brought some claret."

"Oh, not at all!" said she--and he saw with a great delight that her
color was returning. "I am quite well now. But I will rest for a minute,
if you are in no hurry, before scrambling down those stones again."

He was in no hurry; on the contrary, he sat down beside her and took her
hand.

"You know, Gerty," said he, "it will be some time before I can learn all
that you like and dislike, and what you can bear, and what pleases you
best; it will be some time, no doubt; but then, when I have learned, you
will find that no one will look after you so carefully as I will."

"I know you are very kind to me," said she, in a low voice.

"And now," said he, very g