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It was dark as they streamed out after tea to go into the Preparation-room, and he heard Elgood's tremulous voice saying to him, "Oh, Evson, shall you give way to-night, and sign?" "Why to-night in particular, Elgood?" "Because I've heard them say that they're going to have a grand gathering to-night, and to make you, and me too; but I can't hold out as you do, Evson."
Because you knew I should be pleased, and because they are good too, and you were glad to help him. He is longing to come in to thank you himself. We shall both thank you all our lives!" George Elgood's face of stupefaction was a sight to behold. His forehead was corrugated with lines of bewilderment; he stared at her in blankest dismay. "What are you talking about, sweetheart?
"Thank you, sir," said Ron simply, while Margot, as usual, hastened to amplify his words. "I hope we shall be friends. I hope we shall all be friends. I was dreadfully tired really, but I felt worse staying in the house, and in that little parlour after dinner I nearly fell asleep." Mr Elgood's eyes lit up with a flash of humour. "But when a man's out of health you canna judge him!
Mr Elgood's deep-set eyes stared at her with an unseeing gaze stared as it were straight through her, without being conscious of her presence. She might have been a chair, a table, a post of wood by the wayside, for all the notice bestowed upon her by the man whose favour she had travelled some hundreds of miles to obtain.
George Elgood's haste to reach the end of the moor gave wings to his feet, so that Margot had much ado to keep pace. Contrary to expectation, the fog did not lessen as they advanced, but closed in upon them thicker and thicker, so that the ground beneath their feet became invisible, and progress was broken by sundry trips and stumbles over projecting mounds of heather.
That is far easier than sending over to Rew, and I'd be delighted to take a basket and bring back all I can get. While Mrs McNab makes the cakes!" Mrs McNab sniffed again, but vouchsafed no further answer. Mr Elgood's face brightened, and he cried eagerly "That is kind of you! Raspberries are very nearly as good as strawberries, and it would be splendid to get them so near at hand.
"That I will," said Charlie, advancing and putting his hand kindly round Elgood's shoulder, as he seated himself on the desk by which Elgood was standing. "Will you tell us, as I ask you, all you told me this morning?" "Yes," said Elgood eagerly, while his whole manner changed from nervous tremor to perfect simplicity and quiet new that he had a friend to stand by him.
Mr Elgood's face shadowed quickly. "Yes! but don't mention it. Never mention it!" he cried quickly. "I live there, too, or as nearly live as is possible in the surroundings. Now for three or four weeks I've escaped, and my one endeavour is to forget that such a place exists. I ask every one as a favour never to mention as much as the name in my hearing.
"Oh, him! That's just the brither. The real Mr Elgood's away till the village. You passed it on the road." She disappeared into the "lobby," and brother and sister nodded at each other solemnly, the while they munched the hot buttered scones. "We'll go! As soon as we have finished. I long to see what he is like.
Here indeed the fog was much less dense, but the distance was already obliterated, while long, smoke-like tendrils of mist were closing in on every hand. The signs which they had noted had portended something worse than rain; something which the dwellers in moorland regions learn to fear and dread above all other phenomena, a mountain mist! George Elgood's face was eloquent with self-reproach.
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