Before I betook myself home that night, and eased dear mother’s heart so much, and made her pale face spread with smiles, I had resolved to penetrate Glen Doone from the upper end, and learn all about my Lorna.  Not but what I might have entered from my unsuspected channel, as so often I had done; but that I saw fearful need for knowing something more than that.  Here was every sort of trouble gathering upon me, here was Jeremy Stickles stealing upon every one in the dark; here was Uncle Reuben plotting Satan only could tell what; here was a white night-capped man coming bodily from the grave; here was my own sister Annie committed to a highwayman, and mother in distraction; most of all—­here, there, and where—­was my Lorna stolen, dungeoned, perhaps outraged.  It was no time for shilly shally, for the balance of this and that, or for a man with blood and muscle to pat his nose and ponder.  If I left my Lorna so; if I let those black-soul’d villains work their pleasure on my love; if the heart that clave to mine could find no vigour in it—­then let maidens cease from men, and rest their faith in tabby-cats.

Rudely rolling these ideas in my heavy head and brain I resolved to let the morrow put them into form and order, but not contradict them.  And then, as my constitution willed (being like that of England), I slept, and there was no stopping me.

CHAPTER XXXVII

A VERY DESPERATE VENTURE

[Illustration:  306.jpg Illustrated Capital]

That the enterprise now resolved upon was far more dangerous than any hitherto attempted by me, needs no further proof than this:—­I went and made my will at Porlock, with a middling honest lawyer there; not that I had much to leave, but that none could say how far the farm, and all the farming stock, might depend on my disposition.  It makes me smile when I remember how particular I was, and how for the life of me I was puzzled to bequeath most part of my clothes, and hats, and things altogether my own, to Lorna, without the shrewd old lawyer knowing who she was and where she lived.  At last, indeed, I flattered myself that I had baffled old Tape’s curiosity; but his wrinkled smile and his speech at parting made me again uneasy.

“A very excellent will, young sir.  An admirably just and virtuous will; all your effects to your nearest of kin; filial and fraternal duty thoroughly exemplified; nothing diverted to alien channels, except a small token of esteem and reverence to an elderly lady, I presume:  and which may or may not be valid, or invalid, on the ground of uncertainty, or the absence of any legal status on the part of the legatee.  Ha, ha!  Yes, yes!  Few young men are so free from exceptionable entanglements.  Two guineas is my charge, sir:  and a rare good will for the money.  Very prudent of you, sir.  Does you credit in every way.  Well, well; we all must die; and often the young before the old.”