In the train she had felt hungry and tired, with burning head and cold limbs.  As she walked these feelings wore off, and were replaced by a feeling of upliftment which was magical in its change.  Her misery and her burden dropped from her.  The softness of the moors was beneath her feet, and a sweet wind touched her lips and cheeks with a breath which was a caress.  The plaintive distant cry of a gull reached her like a greeting.  The solitude of Cornwall surrounded her.

When she reached the cross-roads she struck out across the moors.  Before her, at no great distance, she could see the swelling mountainous reaches of green water breaking on the rocks in a long white line of foam, and the dark outline of Flint House clinging to the dizzy summit of the black broken cliffs.

Her false strength failed her suddenly as she neared her journey’s end.  The house loomed dimly before her tired vision in the fast gathering darkness.  She stumbled with faltering steps round the side of the house to the kitchen door, and turned the handle.  It was locked.  She knocked loudly.

As in a vision she saw the white furtive face of Mrs. Thalassa peering out at her from the window, and her fluttering hands pressed against the glass, as though to thrust her back.  Sisily rushed to the window.

“Let me in!” she cried.  “It is I—­Sisily.”

The window opened suddenly, and Mrs. Thalassa stood there looking out at her like a small grey ghost—­a ghost with watchful glittering eyes.

“Go away—­go away,” she whispered with a cunning glance.  “Quick!  They’re looking for you—­they’ll catch you.”

Sisily’s heart went cold within her.  “Where is Thalassa?” she faltered.  “Send him to me—­tell him I have come back.”  Her eyes travelled vainly around the gloom of the empty kitchen in search of him.

“He’s gone—­gone away!”

“Gone?  Oh, no, no!  Don’t say that.  Where has he gone?”

“I don’t know.  He went away.  He’s not coming back.”  She shook her head angrily, with a wild gleam in her eye.  “You go away, too, or they’ll catch you—­the police.  They come every night to look for you.”

She cast another cunning look at the girl, and shut down the window.  Sisily could see her reaching up and fumbling with the lock.  Thalassa gone!  Despair clutched her with iron hands, and held her fast.  She glanced up at the window of her father’s study, and thought she saw the dead man there, his stern face looking coldly down upon her.  She turned away shuddering.  Where could she go?  She had nowhere to go, and she knew her strength would not carry her much farther.

She plunged blindly into the shelter of the great rocks near the house.  She found herself wandering among them like a being in a dream.  Then complete unconsciousness overtook her, and she sank down.