He helped her along the passages. Soon they were in total darkness. The flood was gaining upon them, and the noise rendered it impossible to exchange a word. Sometimes the water hissed and gurgled at their heels, and sometimes they plunged ankle-deep into pools. They slipped and scrambled along, Marjorie clinging to her guide; and presently a glimmer of light came from above. 'Here we are, Miss Marjorie,' said Neil. 'If you could be managing to climb up here we would come out on the moor.' The ascent was broken and dangerous, and was in some places only very imperfectly lighted. Neil, with his sailor's training, swung himself from point to point, sometimes drawing Marjorie up to a ledge, and sometimes instructing her where to set her feet. At last the welcome daylight burst upon them, and grasping the tufts of heather, they drew themselves on to firm ground. 'At last,' said Marjorie, throwing herself down on the heather, and blinking in the sun. 'Now you can go to the lighthouse, Neil.' 'Hullo,' said a voice; and Marjorie looked up to see the laird and Mr. Graham, who had come all this way to watch the storm at the Corrachin Caves, and were very much astonished at this sudden encounter. 'Run, Neil,' gasped Marjorie; but Neil drew himself together. 'It iss no use,' he said; 'they will be watching wherever I will go, and I hev not a chance.' Then to Mr. Stewart he said, 'I am not for trying to escape. I know I shall be taken. I'd rather give myself up to you than to any one else. If you wass not to be letting my mother know it iss grateful to you I will be, sir.' The laird looked greatly distressed. 'Neil, my lad,' he said, 'I have no warrant for arresting you. It's none of my business. You may go away if you like; I shall not try to prevent you.' Neil shook his head. 'It iss no use, sir,' he said; 'I would rather yield of my own accord than be taken, and I have no chance of escaping now. I had nothing to do with the theft of the letters, but it iss no matter. My mother hass not long to live, and she need neffer know if things go against me. Keep it from her if you can.' Marjorie stood by, white and trembling, and nearer to shedding tears than she could have believed possible. 'You can come with me for the present, Neil,' said the laird; 'we'll see what can be done.' A pony cart was chartered from the nearest farmhouse. Marjorie got in with the others and a sorrowful party set out across the moors. When they reached Ardnavoir, the ill news seemed to have preceded them, for Reggie looked stormily from an upper window and then came into the hall where Allan and the Grahams were already waiting, and Mrs. Stewart came downstairs accompanied by Tricksy, whose eyes were very big and dark with dismay.