‘The excited state may be over in a short time now,’ she answered him in a quiet whisper; ‘but at present it is at its height. It seemed to please her’--and withdrawing her hand she turned to John Backhouse--‘when I suggested that I should walk up to Shanmoss and back. I said I would come back to her in half an hour or so, when the daylight was quite gone, and prove to her there was nothing on the path.’ A hand caught her arm. It was Mrs. Irwin, holding the door close with the other hand. ‘Miss Leyburn--Miss Catherine! Yur not gawin’ oot--not gawin’ oop _that_ path?’ The woman was fond of Catherine, and looked deadly frightened. ‘Yes, I am, Mrs. Irwin--but I shall be back very soon. Don’t leave her; go back.’ And Catherine motioned her back with a little peremptory gesture. ‘Doan’t ye let ‘ur, sir,’ said the woman excitedly to Robert. ‘One’s eneuf oneut aa’m thinking.’ And she pointed with a meaning gesture to the room behind her. Robert looked at Catherine, who was moving toward the outer door. ‘I’ll go with her,’ he said hastily, his face lighting up. ‘There is nothing whatever to be afraid of, only don’t leave your patient.’ Catherine trembled as she heard the words, but she made no sign, and the two men and the women watched their departure with blank uneasy wonderment. A second later they were on the fell-side climbing a rough stony path, which in places was almost a watercourse, and which wound up the fell toward a tract of level swampy moss or heath, beyond which lay the descent to Shanmoor. Daylight was almost gone; the stormy yellow west was being fast swallowed up in cloud; below them as they climbed lay the dark group of houses, with a light twinkling here and there. All about them were black mountain forms; a desolate tempestuous wind drove a gusty rain into their faces; a little beck roared beside them, and in the distance from the black gulf of the valley the swollen river thundered.