Meanwhile the light that had hardly gone came welling gently back. The stars paled; the high mountains wrapped themselves in clouds; a clear yellow mounted from the east, flooding the dusk with cheerfulness. Then the birds woke. The diminished sands, on which the tide was creeping, sparkled with sea-birds; the air was soon alive with their white curves. With a start Laura awoke. Above the eastern fells scarlet feather-clouds were hovering; the sun rushed upon them as she looked; and in that blue dimness to the north lay Bannisdale. She sprang up, stared half aghast at the black depths of the quarry, beside which she had been sleeping, then searched the fell with her eyes. Yes, there was the upward path. She struck into it, praying that friend and houses might meet her soon. Meanwhile it seemed that nothing moved in the world but she. CHAPTER III It was on the stroke of midnight when the message from Braeside was handed to Mr. Helbeck by the sleepy station-master, who had been dragged by that gentleman's urgency from his first slumbers in the neat cottage beside the line. The master of Bannisdale thrust the slip of paper into his pocket, and stood an instant with bent head, as though reflecting. "Thank you, Mr. Brough," he said at last. "I will not ask you to do anything more. Good-night." Rightful reward passed, and Mr. Helbeck left the station. Outside, his pony cart stood tied to the station railing. Before entering it he debated with himself whether he should drive on to the town of Marsland, get horses there and then, and make for Braeside at once. He could get there in about a couple of hours. And then? To search a sleeping town for Miss Fountain--would that mend matters? A carriage arriving at two o'clock in the morning--the inn awakened--no lady there, perhaps--for what was to prevent her having found decent shelter in some quite other quarter? Was he to make a house-to-house visitation at that hour? How wise! How quenching to the gossip that must in any case get abroad! He turned the pony homewards. Augustina, all shawls and twitching, opened the door to him. A message had been sent on to her an hour before to the effect that Miss Fountain had missed her train, and was not likely to arrive that night. "Oh, _Alan_!--where is she?" "I got a telegram through to the station-master. Don't be anxious, Augustina. I asked him to direct her to the inn. The old White Hart, they say, has passed into new management and is quite comfortable. She may arrive by the first train--7.20. Anyway I shall meet it."