For steps were perfectly audible now coming along the stony path; but Dinah did not spring from her chair to hurry out and meet their visitor, but sank back, with the flush dying out once more, leaving her face almost ghastly, as her heart told her that Clive was not coming to ask her forgiveness. It was not his quick, impatient step; and the endorsement of her thoughts came directly from just outside the window, through which the Major had hurriedly stepped. "Morning, Mr Robson," he cried. "I thought it was Mr Reed. Good heavens, man, what's wrong?" "I hardly know, sir," said the young man hastily. "Two of our men coming to work this morning found him in a cleft, bruised and bleeding from a cut on the head." "A fall?" cried the Major. "No, sir. Been set upon and half murdered, I'm afraid. Ah, Miss Gurdon! I'm very sorry, I didn't know you were there." For Dinah had just made her appearance at the window, having heard every word. CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE. WITH THEIR OWN PETARD. "Go on," cried the Major excitedly; "she must hear it now. Hold up, my child, only an accident--a slip: trying to make some short cut in the dark. Now, then," he continued, with military promptitude, "when did they find him?" Dinah listened with her head held forward, lips white and trembling, and her nostrils dilated, hearing her father's words, and all the time picturing, in imagination, a desperate encounter between two brothers on the dark hillside. Then the one misjudging, bitter, and mad about her, struck down, to lie through the night half dead, with upbraidings against her upon his lips. It was like a flash: she saw the whole scene while the young clerk went on in answer to the Major. "Just off the path, sir." "And what have you done?" "Had him carried directly to my rooms at the office, sir." "Where his brother is seeing to him?" "No, sir; Mr Jessop Reed has gone off in haste to London on business. Left a letter for Mr Sturgess. He's ill too, sir. Half delirious with his bad shoulder, which has broken out again." "Tut--tut--tut!" ejaculated the Major. "Well? You did something more?" "Yes, sir, sent off directly to Blinkdale for the doctor, bathed and bound up Mr Reed's head, and then came on to you." "Good!" cried the Major sharply, clapping the young man on the shoulder, and drawing him into the room. "Sit down and swallow a cup of coffee, my lad. You've had no breakfast. Dinah, my child, be a woman. We'll go over at once. No. You and Martha make a bed for him in my study. I'll have him carried here. He cannot stay at that noisy mine." "Yes--yes," said Dinah, in a whisper, as with trembling hands she hurriedly placed the coffee before the messenger. "Martha will get that ready, father. I must come too." "No, no, my child!--well, yes, you may be of use. Be quick, then. In a minute we must be off." Then, as Dinah ran up to her room, he went to the study and returned hastily, placing something in his breast.