Though the cliffs were black above us, and the road unseen in front, and a great white grave of snow might at a single word come down, Lorna was as calm and happy as an infant in its bed.  She knew that I was with her; and when I told her not to speak, she touched my hand in silence.  Gwenny was in a much greater fright, having never seen such a thing before, neither knowing what it is to yield to pure love’s confidence.  I could hardly keep her quiet, without making a noise myself.  With my staff from rock to rock, and my weight thrown backward, I broke the sledd’s too rapid way, and brought my grown love safely out, by the selfsame road which first had led me to her girlish fancy, and my boyish slavery.

Unpursued, yet looking back as if some one must be after us, we skirted round the black whirling pool, and gained the meadows beyond it.  Here there was hard collar work, the track being all uphill and rough; and Gwenny wanted to jump out, to lighten the sledd and to push behind.  But I would not hear of it; because it was now so deadly cold, and I feared that Lorna might get frozen, without having Gwenny to keep her warm.  And after all, it was the sweetest labour I had ever known in all my life, to be sure that I was pulling Lorna, and pulling her to our own farmhouse.

Gwenny’s nose was touched with frost, before we had gone much farther, because she would not keep it quiet and snug beneath the sealskin.  And here I had to stop in the moonlight (which was very dangerous) and rub it with a clove of snow, as Eliza had taught me; and Gwenny scolding all the time, as if myself had frozen it.  Lorna was now so far oppressed with all the troubles of the evening, and the joy that followed them, as well as by the piercing cold and difficulty of breathing, that she lay quite motionless, like fairest wax in the moonlight—­when we stole a glance at her, beneath the dark folds of the cloak; and I thought that she was falling into the heavy snow-sleep, whence there is no awaking.

Therefore, I drew my traces tight, and set my whole strength to the business; and we slipped along at a merry pace, although with many joltings, which must have sent my darling out into the cold snowdrifts but for the short strong arm of Gwenny.  And so in about an hour’s time, in spite of many hindrances, we came home to the old courtyard, and all the dogs saluted us.  My heart was quivering, and my cheeks as hot as the Doones’ bonfire, with wondering both what Lorna would think of our farm-yard, and what my mother would think of her.  Upon the former subject my anxiety was wasted, for Lorna neither saw a thing, nor even opened her heavy eyes.  And as to what mother would think of her, she was certain not to think at all, until she had cried over her.