A Romance of Wastdale

cried

of it, fronting Gordon with the lanthorn held aloft between them. There was a ri

rm on which they stood was open only upon two sides,

l costs, he thought; for it would land them both, locked together, on the screes below. It was very pleasant to him, besides, to watch the shri

e, did you, Austen?" he said

tle me, I own. You c

t my way. If you had not lit that lanthorn I should have been over th

d Hawke back to some portion of his confidence.

arm-house the night before and again this morning. But the inconsistency of the proceeding was purely on the surface. He had felt compelled to that course by the urgency of his dread, which shook him chiefly when alone. And it was the effect of these solitary cogitations which produced his inexpressible terror on each occasion that he met the man. Once in his presence, howev

mitted was to make no allowance for a possible concentration of his entire faculties upon a single aim,

anned this expedition in order to avoid meeting Gordon again--nay, more, had actually given him a false description of his route. Consequently his sudden

e circuit quickly

he sky clouded," Hawke replied, "and

e did not m

g keenly for a chance; but Hawke still

tain for some time. You have

with t

ood glissade just behind these cliffs running into Eskdale.

wil

o I thought I would go home this way. But if I had known it was going

im no knowledge of the fact. He was wondering whether Haw

t on. "You have got the lantho

pass. But at the very moment that he was taking the step,

a mo

tood upright, and tha

," said Hawke. "We had better open

and felt the sharp blade cut into his flesh.

knife at all. I l

. They have jammed the cork in so tightly, that

was perfectly defenceless at the moment, but the memory of Arkwright's ac

he fancied, why the recollection of that night in the Alps had so pers

r?" Hawke asked. "

t is the brandy warmin

t wasn't a bad su

est I ever he

fe and held it out

are so cursedly numbed, I should o

with his right hand,

done to your hand? It

ered quickly. "I cut it on a po

e poised in one hand and the knife i

open the blade," and h

will serve,"

will do i

as of a strong and heavy make, with a long, powerful blade. Go

y! We shall spill it all;" and he readjusted the bottle in Hawke's hands, se

Hawke, slipped the blade on the glass, and drove it with all his f

crashed on

l behind him, clutching the injur

rieked. "It'

ood spurting in quick j

Arkwright. That wa

re, man--dreamin

-a low, happy laugh, which s

ant to

ded to him

orn, concentrating all his strength into the oath. He was still vainly en

nelt by

look,"

es farther away, with an inartic

u?" Gordon asked, in a to

ce across his shoulder, and

ve it was myse

he difference. Won't you

and rolled over to face hi

. "But be quick! quick! Us

e night before; but he unwound the scarf from the neck of the wounded man. The

apologised. "I know i

the arm just above the cut and tied it firmly; but a dark

asped Hawke. "It

ound, and inserting the pick into the wool, used i

of the axe. Now run down to the Inn and get help. I may be able to

ty the bran

hat! Hurry do

tly, much as one refuses a child an imposs

e. Neither of them spoke, but the animation flickered out of Hawke's feat

, sinking back and letting his

have waked up, that's all. It is not the slee

into Hawke's ear with a savage intensity. In a

e have not much time to waste,

and instinctively moved his right

hem with you. I felt sure you would have, but it was best to make

possible stress upon t

e to know that. Is there anything more? Oh, yes! You have taught me a lesson-

--you wer

s savage fury boiling over its barrier

ink I didn't see you were frightened when I met you yesterday! Did you think I didn't see you watching my bedroom from the barn? What made you

the latter into life; he pushed the face away from him and gathering all his strength, half struggled to his feet. On th

whispered, "and

hough the man was, struck him on

d one steady look upon the other, and th

at neith

e clenched them tightly round the arm and knelt there watching the blanching face and feeling the blood soak about his knees. In a moment or two he saw Hawke's eyeballs quiver under the

in side and touch the grey face by his knees--nay, more, bring the dalesmen up to discover him riveted to the man he had killed. With this last thought he summoned all his strength to his aid, and making a final effort wrenched his hands free. The body was lying motionless at his side, and he felt along it until he reached the breast. To take the letters, however, he had to unbutton the coat, and he paused, sh