"One compensation Providence has made me in the shape of a true and
faithful wife, to whom I told my dreadful secret before the wedding, and
who nobly consented to share my lot. She has lifted half the burden
from my shoulders, but with the effect, poor soul, of crushing her own
life beneath its weight!
"My children, too, have been a comfort to me. Mordaunt knows all, or
nearly all. Gabriel we have endeavoured to keep in the dark, though we
cannot prevent her from knowing that there is something amiss.
"I should like this statement to be shown to Dr. John Easterling", of
Stranraer. He heard on one occasion this haunting sound. My sad
experience may show him that I spoke truth when I said that there was
much knowledge in the world which has never found its way to England.
"J. B. HEATHERSTONE."
It was going on for dawn by the time that I had finished this
extraordinary narrative, to which my sister and Mordaunt Heatherstone
listened with the most absorbed attention. Already we could see through
the window that the stars had begun to fade and a grey light to appear
in the east. The crofter who owned the lurcher dog lived a couple of
miles off, so it was time for us to be on foot. Leaving Esther to tell
my father the story in such fashion as she might, we thrust some food in
our pockets and set off upon our solemn and eventful errand.
CHAPTER XVI
AT THE HOLE OF CREE
It was dark enough when we started to make it no easy matter to find our
way across the moors, but as we advanced it grew lighter and lighter,
until by the time we reached Fullarton's cabin it was broad daylight.
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