He caught her to him with a fond gesture, and they hastened on, down from the eminence where rose the Folly, to the lower ground nearer Ashlydyat. The Dark Plain lay to the right, and as they struck into a narrow, overhung walk, its gloom contrasted unpleasantly with the late brightness. Maria Hastings drew nearer to her companion with an involuntary shiver. "Why did you come this dark way, George?" "It is the most direct way. In the dark or in the light you are safe with me. Did you notice Sir George's joke about Charlotte Pain?" The question caused her heart to beat wildly. "Was it a joke?" she breathed. "Of course it was a joke. But he has been giving me a lecture upon--upon----" "Upon what?" she inquired, helping out his hesitation. "Upon the expediency of sowing my wild oats and settling down into a respectable man," laughed George. "I promised him it should be done some time. I cannot afford it just yet, Maria," he added, his tone changing to earnestness. "But I did not tell him that." Meanwhile, Janet Godolphin had gained the ash-trees. She quietly glided before them beneath their shade to reach the bench. It was placed back, quite amidst them, in what might almost be called a recess formed by the trees. Janet paused ere turning in, her sight thrown over the Dark Plain. "Heavens and earth! how you startled me. Is it you, Miss Godolphin?" The exclamation came from Charlotte Pain, who was seated there. Miss Godolphin was startled also; and her tone, as she spoke, betrayed considerable vexation. "_You_ here, Miss Pain! A solitary spot, is it not, for a young lady to be sitting in alone at night?" "I was watching for that strange appearance which you, in this neighbourhood, call the Shadow," she explained. "I saw it last evening." "Did you?" freezingly replied Janet Godolphin, who had an unconquerable aversion to the supernatural sign being seen or spoken of by strangers. "Well, pray, and where's the Shadow?" interrupted Bessy Godolphin, coming up. "_I_ see nothing, and my eyes are as good as yours, Janet: better, I hope, than Margery's." "I do not see it to-night," said Charlotte Pain. "Here are more footsteps! Who else is coming?" "Did you ever know the Shadow come when it was watched for?" cried Janet to Bessy, in a half-sad, half-resentful tone, as her brother and Maria Hastings approached. "Watch for it, and it does not come. It never yet struck upon the sight of any one, but it did so unexpectedly." "As it did upon me last night," said Charlotte Pain. "It was a strange-looking shadow: but, as to its being supernatural, the very supposition is ridiculous. I beg your pardon, if I offend your prejudices, Miss Godolphin." "Child! why did you come?" cried Janet Godolphin to Maria. "I had no idea you did not wish me to come." "Wish! It is not that. But you are little more than a child, and might be spared these sights."