kly recovered herself, but from a different cause.
With her it was a deep religious conviction that the struggle round her
was of the powers of Good and Evil, and that Good was triumphing. The
very appearance of the snowy birds, with the cowls of Saint Columba,
heightened the impression. With this conviction strong upon her, she
continued the strange battle with fresh vigour. She seemed to tower over
Caswall, and he to give back before her oncoming. Once again her
vigorous passes drove him to the door. He was just going out backward
when Lady Arabella, who had been gazing at him with fixed eyes, caught
his hand and tried to stop his movement. She was, however, unable to do
any good, and so, holding hands, they passed out together. As they did
so, the strange music which had so alarmed Lady Arabella suddenly
stopped. Instinctively they all looked towards the tower of Castra
Regis, and saw that the workmen had refixed the kite, which had risen
again and was beginning to float out to its former station.

As they were looking, the door opened and Michael Watford came into the
room. By that time all had recovered their self-possession, and there
was nothing out of the common to attract his attention. As he came in,
seeing inquiring looks all around him, he said:

"The new influx of birds is only the annual migration of pigeons from
Africa. I am told that it will soon be over."

The second victory of Mimi Watford made Edgar Caswall more moody than
ever. He felt thrown back on himself, and this, added to his absorbing
interest in the hope of a victory of his mesmeric powers, became a deep
and settled purpose of revenge. The chief object of his animosity was,
of course, Mimi, whose will had overcome his, but it was obscured in
greater or lesser degree by all who had opposed him. Lilla was next to
Mimi in his hate--Lilla, the harmless, tender-hearted, sweet-natured
girl, whose heart was so full of love for all things that in it was no
room for the passions of ordinary life--whose nature resembled those
doves of St. Columba, whose colour she wore, whose appearance she
reflected. Adam Salton came next--after a gap; for against him Caswall
had no direct animosity. He regarded him as an interference, a
difficulty to be got rid of or destroyed. The young Australian had been
so discreet that the most he had against him was his knowledge of what
had been. Caswall did not understand him, and to such a nature as his,