Never had song a stranger accompaniment than this song; for the air was full of fierce noises near and afar. Again the colonel went to the window. When he drew back the curtains, at Adela's request, and pulled up the blind, you might have fancied the dark wind full of snowy Banshees, fleeting and flickering by, and uttering strange ghostly cries of warning. The friends crowded into the bay-window, and stared out into the night with a kind of happy awe. They pressed their brows against the panes, in the vain hope of seeing where there was no light. Every now and then the wind would rush up against the window in fierce attack, as if the creatures that rode by upon the blast had seen the row of white faces, and it angered them to be thus stared at, and they rode their airy steeds full tilt against the thin rampart of glass that protected the human weaklings from becoming the spoil of their terrors. While every one was silent with the intensity of this outlook, and with the awe of such an uproar of wild things without souls, there came a loud knock at the door, which was close to the window where they stood. Even the old colonel, whose nerves were as hard as piano-wires, started back and cried "God bless me!" The doctor, too, started, and began mechanically to button his coat, but said nothing. Adela gave a little suppressed scream, and ashamed of the weakness, crept away to her sofa-corner. The servant entered, saying that Dr. Armstrong's man wanted to see him. Harry went into the passage, which was just outside the drawing-room, and the company overheard the following conversation, every word. "Well, William?" "There's a man come after you from Cropstone Farm, sir. His missus is took sudden." "What?--It's not the old lady then? It's the young mistress?" "Yes; she's in labour, sir; leastways she was--he's been three hours on the road. I reckon it's all over by this time.--You won't go, sir! It's morally unpossible." "Won't go! It's morally impossible not. You knew I would go.--That's the mare outside." "No, sir. It's Tilter." "Then you did think I wouldn't go! You knew well enough Tilter's no use for a job like this. The mare's my only chance." "I beg your pardon, sir. I did not think you would go." "Home with you, as hard as Tilter can drive--confound him!--And bring the mare instantly. She's had her supper?" "I left her munching, sir." "Don't let her drink. I'll give her a quart of ale at Job Timpson's." "You won't go that way, surely, sir?" "It's the nearest; and the snow can't be very deep yet." "I've brought your boots and breeches, sir." "All right." The man hurried out, and Harry was heard to run up stairs to his brother's room. The friends stared at each other in some perturbation. Presently Harry re-entered, in the articles last mentioned, saying-- "Ralph, have you an old shooting-coat you could lend me?" "I should think so, Harry. I'll fetch you one."