but，asitdrewontowardnoon，Ilostmypatience。Tosaythetruth，Ihadpromisedmyselftobreakmyfastinthepavilion，andhungerbegantoprickmesharply。Itwasapitytolettheopportunitygobywithoutsomecauseformirth；butthegrosserappetiteprevailed，andIrelinquishedmyjestwithregret，andsalliedfromthewood。
　　Theappearanceofthehouseaffectedme，asIdrewnear；withdisquietude。Itseemedunchangedsincelastevening；andIhadexpectedit，Iscarceknewwhy，towearsomeexternalsignsofhabitation。Butno:thewindowswereallcloselyshuttered，thechimneysbreathednosmoke，andthefrontdooritselfwascloselypadlocked。Northmour，therefore，hadenteredbytheback；thiswasthenatural，andindeed，thenecessaryconclusion；andyoumayjudgeofmysurprisewhen，onturningthehouse，Ifoundthebackdoorsimilarlysecured。
　　Mymindatoncerevertedtotheoriginaltheoryofthieves；andI
　　blamedmyselfsharplyformylastnight’sinaction。Iexaminedallthewindowsonthelowerstory，butnoneofthemhadbeentamperedwith；Itriedthepadlocks，buttheywerebothsecure。Itthusbecameaproblemhowthethieves，ifthievestheywere，hadmanagedtoenterthehouse。Theymusthavegot，Ireasoned，upontheroofoftheouthousewhereNorthmourusedtokeephisphotographicbattery；andfromthence，eitherbythewindowofthestudyorthatofmyoldbedroom，completedtheirburglariousentry。
　　IfollowedwhatIsupposedwastheirexample；and，gettingontheroof，triedtheshuttersofeachroom。Bothweresecure；butIwasnottobebeaten；and，withalittleforce，oneofthemflewopen，grazing，asitdidso，thebackofmyhand。Iremember，Iputthewoundtomymouth，andstoodforperhapshalfaminutelickingitlikeadog，andmechanicallygazingbehindmeoverthewastelinksandthesea；and，inthatspaceoftime，myeyemadenoteofalargeschooneryachtsomemilestothenorth-east。ThenIthrewupthewindowandclimbedin。
　　Iwentoverthehouse，andnothingcanexpressmymystification。
　　Therewasnosignofdisorder，but，onthecontrary，theroomswereunusuallycleanandpleasant。Ifoundfireslaid，readyforlighting；threebedroomspreparedwithaluxuryquiteforeigntoNorthmour’shabits，andwithwaterintheewersandthebedsturneddown；atablesetforthreeinthedining-room；andanamplesupplyofcoldmeats，game，andvegetablesonthepantryshelves。Therewereguestsexpected，thatwasplain；butwhyguests，whenNorthmourhatedsociety？And，aboveall，whywasthehousethusstealthilypreparedatdeadofnight？andwhyweretheshuttersclosedandthedoorspadlocked？
　　Ieffacedalltracesofmyvisit，andcameforthfromthewindowfeelingsoberedandconcerned。
　　Theschooneryachtwasstillinthesameplace；anditflashedforamomentthroughmymindthatthismightbetheRedEarlbringingtheownerofthepavilionandhisguests。Butthevessel’sheadwassettheotherway。
　　II
　　Ireturnedtothedentocookmyselfameal，ofwhichIstoodingreatneed，aswellastocareformyhorse，whomIhadsomewhatneglectedinthemorning。FromtimetotimeIwentdowntotheedgeofthewood；buttherewasnochangeinthepavilion，andnotahumancreaturewasseenalldayuponthelinks。Theschoonerintheoffingwastheonetouchoflifewithinmyrangeofvision。
　　She，apparentlywithnosetobject，stoodoffandonorlayto，hourafterhour；butastheeveningdeepened，shedrewsteadilynearer。IbecamemoreconvincedthatshecarriedNorthmourandhisfriends，andthattheywouldprobablycomeashoreafterdark；notonlybecausethatwasofapiecewiththesecrecyofthepreparations，butbecausethetidewouldnothaveflowedsufficientlybeforeeleventocoverGradenFloeandtheotherseaquagsthatfortifiedtheshoreagainstinvaders。
　　Alldaythewindhadbeengoingdown，andtheseaalongwithit；
　　buttherewasareturntowardssunsetoftheheavyweatherofthedaybefore。Thenightsetinpitchdark。Thewindcameofftheseainsqualls，likethefiringofabatteryofcannon；nowandthentherewasaflawofrain，andthesurfrolledheavierwiththerisingtide。Iwasdownatmyobservatoryamongtheelders，whenalightwasrunuptothemastheadoftheschooner，andshowedshewascloserinthanwhenIhadlastseenherbythedyingdaylight。
　　IconcludedthatthismustbeasignaltoNorthmour’sassociatesonshore；and，steppingforthintothelinks，lookedaroundmeforsomethinginresponse。
　　Asmallfootpathranalongthemarginofthewood，andformedthemostdirectcommunicationbetweenthepavilionandthemansion-
　　house；and，asIcastmyeyestothatside，Isawasparkoflight，notaquarterofamileaway，andrapidlyapproaching。Fromitsunevencourseitappearedtobethelightofalanterncarriedbyapersonwhofollowedthewindingsofthepath，andwasoftenstaggeredandtakenabackbythemoreviolentsqualls。Iconcealedmyselfoncemoreamongtheelders，andwaitedeagerlyforthenewcomer’sadvance。Itprovedtobeawoman；and，asshepassedwithinhalfarodofmyambush，Iwasabletorecognisethefeatures。Thedeafandsilentolddame，whohadnursedNorthmourinhischildhood，washisassociateinthisunderhandaffair。
　　Ifollowedheratalittledistance，takingadvantageoftheinnumerableheightsandhollows，concealedbythedarkness，andfavorednotonlybythenurse’sdeafness，butbytheuproarofthewindandsurf。Sheenteredthepavilion，and，goingatoncetotheupperstory，openedandsetalightinoneofthewindowsthatlookedtowardthesea。Immediatelyafterwardsthelightattheschooner’smastheadwasrundownandextinguished。Itspurposehadbeenattained，andthoseonboardweresurethattheywereexpected。Theoldwomanresumedherpreparations；althoughtheothershuttersremainedclosed，Icouldseeaglimmergoingtoandfroaboutthehouse；andagushofsparksfromonechimneyafteranothersoontoldmethatthefireswerebeingkindled。
　　Northmourandhisguests，Iwasnowpersuaded，wouldcomeashoreassoonastherewaswateronthefloe。Itwasawildnightforboatservice；andIfeltsomealarmminglewithmycuriosityasI
　　reflectedonthedangerofthelanding。Myoldacquaintance，itwastrue，wasthemosteccentricofmen；butthepresenteccentricitywasbothdisquietingandlugubrioustoconsider。A
　　varietyoffeelingsthusledmetowardthebeach，whereIlayflatonmyfaceinahollowwithinsixfeetofthetrackthatledtothepavilion。Thence，Ishouldhavethesatisfactionofrecognizingthearrivals，and，iftheyshouldprovetobeacquaintances，greetingthemassoonastheylanded。
　　Sometimebeforeeleven，whilethetidewasstilldangerouslylow，aboat’slanternappearedcloseinshore；and，myattentionbeingthusawakened，Icouldperceiveanotherstillfartoseaward，violentlytossed，andsometimeshiddenbythebillows。Theweather，whichwasgettingdirtierasthenightwenton，andtheperiloussituationoftheyachtuponaleeshore，hadprobablydriventhemtoattemptalandingattheearliestpossiblemoment。
　　Alittleafterwards，fouryachtsmencarryingaveryheavychest，andguidedbyafifthwithalantern，passedcloseinfrontofmeasIlay，andwereadmittedtothepavilionbythenurse。Theyreturnedtothebeach，andpassedmeathirdtimewithanotherchest，largerbutapparentlynotsoheavyasthefirst。Athirdtimetheymadethetransit；andonthisoccasiononeoftheyachtsmencarriedaleatherportmanteau，andtheothersalady’strunkandcarriagebag。Mycuriositywassharplyexcited。IfawomanwereamongtheguestsofNorthmour，itwouldshowachangeinhishabits，andanapostasyfromhispettheoriesoflife，wellcalculatedtofillmewithsurprise。WhenheandIdwelttheretogether，thepavilionhadbeenatempleofmisogyny。Andnow，oneofthedetestedsexwastobeinstalledunderitsroof。I
　　rememberedoneortwoparticulars，afewnotesofdaintinessandalmostofcoquetrywhichhadstruckmethedaybeforeasIsurveyedthepreparationsinthehouse；theirpurposewasnowclear，andI
　　thoughtmyselfdullnottohaveperceiveditfromthefirst。
　　WhileIwasthusreflecting，asecondlanterndrewnearmefromthebeach。ItwascarriedbyayachtsmanwhomIhadnotyetseen，andwhowasconductingtwootherpersonstothepavilion。Thesetwopersonswereunquestionablytheguestsforwhomthehousewasmadeready；and，strainingeyeandear，Isetmyselftowatchthemastheypassed。Onewasanunusuallytallman，inatravelinghatslouchedoverhiseyes，andahighlandcapecloselybuttonedandturnedupsoastoconcealhisface。Youcouldmakeoutnomoreofhimthanthathewas，asIhavesaid，unusuallytall，andwalkedfeeblywithaheavystoop。Byhisside，andeitherclingingtohimorgivinghimsupport——Icouldnotmakeoutwhich——wasayoung，tall，andslenderfigureofawoman。Shewasextremelypale；butinthelightofthelanternherfacewassomarredbystrongandchangingshadows，thatshemightequallywellhavebeenasuglyassinorasbeautifulasIafterwardsfoundhertobe。
　　Whentheywerejustabreastofme，thegirlmadesomeremarkwhichwasdrownedbythenoiseofthewind。
　　“Hush！“saidhercompanion；andtherewassomethinginthetonewithwhichthewordwasutteredthatthrilledandrathershookmyspirits。Itseemedtobreathefromabosomlaboringunderthedeadliestterror；Ihaveneverheardanothersyllablesoexpressive；andIstillhearitagainwhenIamfeverishatnight，andmymindrunsuponoldtimes。Themanturnedtowardthegirlashespoke；Ihadaglimpseofmuchredbeardandanosewhichseemedtohavebeenbrokeninyouth；andhislighteyesseemedshininginhisfacewithsomestrongandunpleasantemotion。
　　Butthesetwopassedonandwereadmittedintheirturntothepavilion。
　　Onebyone，oringroups，theseamenreturnedtothebeach。Thewindbroughtmethesoundofaroughvoicecrying，“Shoveoff！“
　　Then，afterapause，anotherlanterndrewnear。ItwasNorthmouralone。
　　MywifeandI，amanandawoman，haveoftenagreedtowonderhowapersoncouldbe，atthesametime，sohandsomeandsorepulsiveasNorthmour。Hehadtheappearanceofafinishedgentleman；hisfaceboreeverymarkofintelligenceandcourage；butyouhadonlytolookathim，eveninhismostamiablemoment，toseethathehadthetemperofaslavercaptain。Ineverknewacharacterthatwasbothexplosiveandrevengefultothesamedegree；hecombinedthevivacityofthesouthwiththesustainedanddeadlyhatredsofthenorth；andbothtraitswereplainlywrittenonhisface，whichwasasortofdangersignal。Inperson，hewastall，strong，andactive；hishairandcomplexionverydark；hisfeatureshandsomelydesigned，butspoiledbyamenacingexpression。
　　Atthatmomenthewassomewhatpalerthanbynature；heworeaheavyfrown；andhislipsworked，andhelookedsharplyroundhimashewalked，likeamanbesiegedwithapprehensions。AndyetI
　　thoughthehadalookoftriumphunderlyingall，asthoughhehadalreadydonemuch，andwasneartheendofanachievement。
　　Partlyfromascrupleofdelicacy——whichIdaresaycametoolate——
　　partlyfromthepleasureofstartlinganacquaintance，Idesiredtomakemypresenceknowntohimwithoutdelay。
　　Igotsuddenlytomyfeet，andsteppedforward。
　　“Northmour！“saidI。
　　Ihaveneverhadsoshockingasurpriseinallmydays。Heleapedonmewithoutaword；somethingshoneinhishand；andhestruckformyheartwithadagger。AtthesamemomentIknockedhimheadoverheels。Whetheritwasmyquickness，orhisownuncertainty，I
　　knownot；butthebladeonlygrazedmyshoulder，whilethehiltandhisfiststruckmeviolentlyonthemouth。
　　Ifled，butnotfar。Ihadoftenandoftenobservedthecapabilitiesofthesandhillsforprotractedambushorstealthyadvancesandretreats；and，nottenyardsfromthesceneofthescuffle，plumpeddownagainuponthegrass。Thelanternhadfallenandgoneout。ButwhatwasmyastonishmenttoseeNorthmourslipataboundintothepavilion，andhearhimbarthedoorbehindhimwithaclangofiron！
　　Hehadnotpursuedme。Hehadrunaway。Northmour，whomIknewforthemostimplacableanddaringofmen，hadrunaway！Icouldscarcebelievemyreason；andyetinthisstrangebusiness，whereallwasincredible，therewasnothingtomakeaworkaboutinanincredibilitymoreorless。Forwhywasthepavilionsecretlyprepared？WhyhadNorthmourlandedwithhisguestsatdeadofnight，inhalfagaleofwind，andwiththefloescarcecovered？
　　Whyhadhesoughttokillme？Hadhenotrecognizedmyvoice？I