Motionless shadows on the terrace, and yet Sir John turned suddenly, as though he were conscious of movement, and his eyes rested upon a shadow in the angle of a wall. He had not noticed it before; now for a little space it seemed like other shadows, but Sir John was not deceived. It moved, coming out from the wall and towards him, and a man stood there. "Martin!" Sir John was not a coward, but a sigh of relief escaped him when he realised that this was no phantom, but a thing of flesh and blood--only Mad Martin. "I have waited for you, Sir John." "The doors were not locked against you, though they well might have been. Where do you spring from to-night, and what have you been doing?" "Wandering and dreaming." "In a mad mood, eh?" "Yes, when I see things and hear voices," said Martin in a sing-song tone, as though he were dreaming now and unconscious of the words his lips uttered. "I heard my mistress calling me. Where is she, Sir John?" "In London, Martin." "No; she was, but not now. She was calling from a dark room, and the door was locked. I could see the room, a miserable room, but I could not see her, only hear her. She was in the power of Lord Rosmore." Sir John bent forward to see Fairley's face more clearly in the moonlight. He had known him in this mood before, known him to give strange but good advice while in this state. He was satisfied that Martin was unconscious now, and was eager to question him. "What will happen, Martin?" "I cannot see." "But why come to the Abbey?" "She sent me to you. I know not why, but I have waited. I heard her say that I must not be seen. She thought you could save her." "How?" Martin put his arm across his eyes for a moment. "It is all a mist, and the voices are muffled," he said. "You would know what Lord Rosmore would do, and would tell me." "It will be good for her to marry Lord Rosmore," said Sir John. "Not good for her, but good for you," was the answer; "she said that. She said you were afraid of him, that you must do as he willed. It was very clear in my dreams." "Why should I fear him?" "So many questions give me pain. I was dreaming; I cannot remember everything. One thing is clear. She called to me that you might be free from Lord Rosmore if you knew a secret which the Abbey holds." "Do you know it, Martin?" "Yes; she told me, and it is a secret." "What is it, Martin?" "A secret, but I was to tell you if you helped her." "Stop this foolery!" said Sir John, seizing his arm sharply. "You shall be locked up until this wayward niece of mine is safely married." "Married! Would you die, master?" "Die?" "Surely. The stars showed it me long ago. Two planets in conjunction, that was the marriage, and then across the night sky the flash of a meteor, dead and cold in a moment." "Curse your dreams and the stars!"