At Mercy there was no one up—­at least, all the lights were out.  But to Mimi, accustomed to the nightly routine of the house, there were manifest signs that all was well, except in the little room on the first floor, where the blinds were down.  Mimi could not bear to look at that, to think of it.  Adam understood her pain, for he had been keenly interested in poor Lilla.  He bent over and kissed her, and then took her hand and held it hard.  Thus they passed on together, returning to the high road towards Castra Regis.

At the gate of Castra Regis they were extra careful.  When drawing near, Adam stumbled upon the wire that Lady Arabella had left trailing on the ground.

Adam drew his breath at this, and spoke in a low, earnest whisper: 

“I don’t want to frighten you, Mimi dear, but wherever that wire is there is danger.”

“Danger!  How?”

“That is the track where the lightning will go; at any moment, even now whilst we are speaking and searching, a fearful force may be loosed upon us.  Run on, dear; you know the way to where the avenue joins the highroad.  If you see any sign of the wire, keep away from it, for God’s sake.  I shall join you at the gateway.”

“Are you going to follow that wire alone?”

“Yes, dear.  One is sufficient for that work.  I shall not lose a moment till I am with you.”

“Adam, when I came with you into the open, my main wish was that we should be together if anything serious happened.  You wouldn’t deny me that right, would you, dear?”

“No, dear, not that or any right.  Thank God that my wife has such a wish.  Come; we will go together.  We are in the hands of God.  If He wishes, we shall be together at the end, whenever or wherever that may be.”

They picked up the trail of the wire on the steps and followed it down the avenue, taking care not to touch it with their feet.  It was easy enough to follow, for the wire, if not bright, was self-coloured, and showed clearly.  They followed it out of the gateway and into the avenue of Diana’s Grove.

Here a new gravity clouded Adam’s face, though Mimi saw no cause for fresh concern.  This was easily enough explained.  Adam knew of the explosive works in progress regarding the well-hole, but the matter had been kept from his wife.  As they stood near the house, Adam asked Mimi to return to the road, ostensibly to watch the course of the wire, telling her that there might be a branch wire leading somewhere else.  She was to search the undergrowth, and if she found it, was to warn him by the Australian native “Coo-ee!”

Whilst they were standing together, there came a blinding flash of lightning, which lit up for several seconds the whole area of earth and sky.  It was only the first note of the celestial prelude, for it was followed in quick succession by numerous flashes, whilst the crash and roll of thunder seemed continuous.