Lucy was riveted to the spot. She could not tear herself away, even though Joel was waiting, hidden in the copse just below the house. She could hear a faint click as the coins fell against one another. That bag was filled. The thin old hands picked up another, and poured its contents upon the quilt. Lucy watched like one fascinated. She saw her great-grandmother pick up several bags, and count many handfuls of money--some of it silver, some of it gold. She waited until the candle was put out, and she heard the curtains softly drawn. Mistress Lynn had composed herself to sleep. Lucy opened the cow-house door and stole out into the night. A clear moon was shining; the foam of the beck looked like white horses tossing in the wind, and the primroses glimmered like stars. Joel was still waiting. "You can't say that I haven't patience," he said. Lucy began to speak excitedly. "I've seen such a sight, lad, such a sight! I've seen great-granny counting her money." "I knew she'd got a store somewhere," he replied. "I wish I had! It would come in very handy just now." "But, Joel, she's old, and when she dies----" "We'll all be rich folk, Lucy." "And we can be married then, lad, and put Forest Hall in trim, and be happy." He laughed, but not very spontaneously. "There goes a rocket over the trees," he said. "It goes up like my hope," replied Lucy. But the thing burst and was gone. "Prophetic, I fear," said Joel. When they came under the black shadow of the crag on the top of which Forest Hall was built, they paused and glanced up. The moonlight brought the battlements into relief against the sky, and shone silvery upon the fir-tree, growing out of a niche, and sweeping the front wall with its feathery boughs. The house was very high, strange and frowning, grander than it ever looked by daylight. Joel gripped Lucy's hand with a sudden excess of feeling. "I'll never part with Forest Hall," he said, as though he saw in his mind's eye someone who wanted to take it from him. "I'll never sell the old place. If I go down into ruins, it shall go down into ruins with me. We'll fall together." "Don't talk so fiercely, Joel," replied Lucy, gently smoothing his fingers to take the strain out of their grip. "Forest Hall will some day be refurnished from cellar to garret, and you and I will live there like a pair of cooing doves. Haven't you told me so many a time?" "Of course, Lucy," he said, relaxing. They walked on again, and near the outskirts of the forest met Peter and his bear. "Hulloa, what have you there?" said Joel, while the girl drew back, not caring to be caught alone with him at this time of the night. "A lap-dog for you, Joel." "The deuce have you! And what do you expect me to do with it?" "Give it housing room. You've got an empty shed, haven't you?" "Two or three. You're a rum chap!" and Joel laughed, for he could never keep his resentment in his friend's breezy presence.