So deeply intent was the girl upon her mission that she did not see the figure of a man standing against the cliff face, just by the opening by the ruined mine; and, as she reached the spot, she was so taken by surprise that the cry that rose to her lips was checked on the instant by a fold of her own cloak. It was a matter of moments. There was a feeble struggle, a hoarse, smothered cry, a violent thrust, and in the darkness the cloaked figure was seen to stagger back--totter--and then her assailant seemed to throw himself upon his knees, and rest there, panting and listening, till from far below there came up a hollow, reverberating plash as of some heavy body falling into the depths of the deserted mine. Then twice over there was a hoarse cry, and then a curious sound of splashing which rose in a horribly distinct fashion upon the black night air. Then all was still. CHAPTER FIFTY FOUR. JOHN TREGENNA'S TRIUMPH. The man rose softly then from his hands and knees, rubbing the former to get rid of the dirt that might be clinging there, and then taking out a white handkerchief to brush his knees--a needless operation, for the turf was short and dry, and left no marks. Then, panting heavily, though his exertions had been slight, he stood listening again, not daring to go nearer to the edge of the shaft. All was perfectly quiet, and, with a sigh of relief, he crept back to the pathway and listened. All was still here too, but he could not flee yet without going back and searching about to see if there was any thing dropped--handkerchief, cloak, or the like. But no; all was apparently as it should be, and he could find no trace; so once more going cautiously to the footpath, he listened, and, all being still, he walked swiftly in the direction of Carnac, till, reaching the path down to the shore, he turned down it quickly, and came in contact with Geoffrey Trethick. "Hallo!" exclaimed the latter, sharply, "do you want to knock a man off the cliff? Oh, it's you, Mr Tregenna!" Tregenna did not answer, but, trembling in every limb, pressed on to reach the shore; but before he had gone many yards a malicious spirit seemed to tempt Geoffrey, and he called after the retreating figure,-- "If you are going to see Miss Mullion, Mr Tregenna, you will find the upper path the better." "Damn!" muttered Tregenna, as he almost staggered now down the cliff; "what cursed fate sent him here to-night?" He was so completely unnerved by the encounter, that he paused for a few minutes to try and recover himself. "If I could--if I could," he muttered; "but he is too strong. My God! what shall I do?" The horror of discovery was so great that for a time he could not proceed, and in imagination he saw the body of his victim brought to the surface, and Geoffrey Trethick bearing witness of having seen him near the spot.