he soft voice of the
current grew strangely audible, in contrast with the deep silence; the
wind rolling it round to the ear at intervals startling and abrupt.

Preceded by a guide, they had taken the rough mountain road, leading
from the abbey into the forest of Pendle, the stranger and his servant
still walking, or rather climbing, for their journey could only be
accomplished on foot. Having proceeded about two miles on this rugged
path, they diverged to the left, where the only indication to assist
their guide was the turf-cutters' track and a few heaps of stones,
scarcely distinguishable from the common mass, but by an eye accustomed
to these land-marks. Carefully were they sought for at times, the
blazing torch carried by their leader being often requisite for the
search.

They now descended by a narrow and steep ravine, the termination of
which brought them to a small brook. This they crossed, and again
commenced a sharp and troublesome ascent. The mighty Pendle rose up
before them, huge and dark, engrossing half the hemisphere. To this
point, it seemed, their path was directed. The guide now trimmed his
torch, the smoke from which had for some time been rather an
accompaniment than an assistance to their toil, as it caused them to
loiter at an inconvenient distance, thereby enhancing the difficulties
they had to encounter. Slow and toilsome was their progress, yet a
patient continuance in any path will sooner or later lead to the end.
The brow of the hill seemed rapidly diminishing; the abrupt steep was at
length gained, when the whole glorious garniture of the heavens,
uninterrupted, from that majestic height, was suddenly revealed. True,
it was a November night, but unusually clear and vivid; the stars seemed
to burn rather than shine, so piercing was their effulgence. The vast
track of the milky way appeared to span the dark and level platform,
like the bow of some triumphal arch. They seemed to stand on a huge
circle, black, bare,--its verge unapproachable, contrasting deeply with
the encompassing splendour. Proceeding onwards, a dark speck was
visible, springing out abruptly from the verge of the horizon. Its bulk
rapidly increased, their path evidently tending in that direction. A
shrill whistle from the guide was now answered by a corresponding
signal. Presently they were challenged by a sentinel.

"_Vale_" growled out the rough voice of their conductor.

"Is it thou, Will?" said the guard. "And what n