tery, but they were miles apart; so that if a light had been burning
at each point that night, there would have been a long strip of the
blank horizon between the two bright specks.

At first, I had to shut some gates after me, and now and then to
stand still while the cattle that were lying in the banked-up path-
way, arose and blundered down among the grass and reeds. But
after a little while, I seemed to have the whole flats to myself.

It was another half-hour before I drew near to the kiln. The
lime was burning with a sluggish stifling smell, but the fires were
made up and left, and no workmen were visible. Hard by was a
small stone-quarry. It lay directly in my way, and had been worked
that day, as I saw by the tools and barrows that were lying about.

Coming up again to the marsh level out of this excavation--for
the rude path lay through it--I saw a light in the old sluice-house.
I quickened my pace, and knocked at the door with my hand.
Waiting for some reply, I looked about me, noticing how the sluice
was abandoned and broken, and now the house--of wood with a
tiled roof--would not be proof against the weather much longer, if
it were so even now, and how the mud and ooze were coated with
lime, and how the choking vapour of the kiln crept in a ghostly
way towards me. Still there was no answer, and I knocked again.
No answer still, and I tried the latch.

It rose under my hand, and the door yielded. Looking in, I saw
a lighted candle on a table, a bench, and a mattress on a truckle
bedstead. As there was a loft above, I called, 'Is there any one
here?' but no voice answered. Then, I looked at my watch, and,
finding that it was past nine, called again, 'Is there any one here?'
There being still no answer, I went out at the door, irresolute what
to do.

It was beginning to rain fast. Seeing nothing save what I had
seen already, I turned back into the house, and stood just within
the shelter of the doorway, looking out into the night. While I was
considering that some one must have been there lately and must
soon be coming back, or the candle would not be burning, it came
into my head to look if the wick were long. I turned round to do
so, and had taken up the candle in my hand, when it was extin-
guished by some violent shock, and the next thing I comprehended

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