He stood thinking for a few moments, and then began to tramp down the steep path to where the shadows were still dark, and a mist hung over the rippling stream. Then taking to the track beside it, he trudged on, with the warm glow in the east growing richer of tint, the birds breaking out into joyous song, and minute by minute the vale, with its wreaths of mist, growing so exquisitely beautiful that the black horrors of the past night began to seem more distant, and the cloud of shadow resting above his aching head less terrible and oppressive. And as the sun approached its rising, so did the beauties around the lad increase; and he tramped on with a sensation of wonder coming upon him, that with all so glorious at early morn in this world of ours, it should be the work of the highest order of creatures upon it to mar and destroy, and contrive the horrors which disfigure it from time to time. "And I've been one of the worst," he said to himself bitterly. "No: it was to stop others from doing these things," he cried quickly. "Oh, if we had not failed!" He quickened his pace now, and, just as the sun rose high enough to light up the vale with its morning glow, he came in sight of the opening where Master Rayburn's cottage stood. "I shall have to wake him up," said the lad, with a sigh; "and oh! what a tale to tell!" But he did not have to waken the old man, for as he drew nearer he suddenly caught sight of his friend, standing with his back to him, hands clasped and hanging in front, head bent and bare, and the horizontal rays of the rising sun turning his silver locks to gold. The lad gazed at him in surprise, but went on softly till he was quite close up, when Master Rayburn turned suddenly, smiled, and said: "Ah! Ralph Darley, my lad, that's how I say my prayers, but I'm a good Christian all the same. Why, what brings--here, speak, boy," he cried excitedly--"torn, covered with dirt--and what's this?--blood? Oh, Ralph, boy, don't say that you and Mark Eden have been meeting again." "Yes," said Ralph slowly; "we parted only a little while ago;" and he told the old man what had taken place, while the latter eagerly examined the speaker to seek for hurts. "Then--then--you two lads--on the strength of what I said--attacked those ruffians in their den?" "Yes, Master Rayburn," said the lad bitterly; "and failed--miserably failed. Do, pray, come up and see our poor fellows. One of them is badly hurt, and the others have nearly all got wounds." "But you--you, boy. I don't see the cause of all this blood." "No," said Ralph wearily. "I'm not hurt. I suppose that came through helping the men." "Ah! and Mark Eden--is he hurt?" "No: we two ought to have had the worst of it. He had a thrust on the head, but his steel cap saved him, and he walked home." "But Sir Morton? he did not know you were going?" "No: we kept it to ourselves." "He knows now, of course?" "Nothing at all. We've only just got back."