What she uttered was a lengthened sighing, apparently at something in her mind which had led to her presence here.  There was a spasmodic abandonment about it as if, in allowing herself to utter the sound. the woman’s brain had authorized what it could not regulate.  One point was evident in this; that she had been existing in a suppressed state, and not in one of languor, or stagnation.

Far away down the valley the faint shine from the window of the inn still lasted on; and a few additional moments proved that the window, or what was within it, had more to do with the woman’s sigh than had either her own actions or the scene immediately around.  She lifted her left hand, which held a closed telescope.  This she rapidly extended, as if she were well accustomed to the operation, and raising it to her eye directed it towards the light beaming from the inn.

The handkerchief which had hooded her head was now a little thrown back, her face being somewhat elevated.  A profile was visible against the dull monochrome of cloud around her; and it was as though side shadows from the features of Sappho and Mrs. Siddons had converged upwards from the tomb to form an image like neither but suggesting both.  This, however, was mere superficiality.  In respect of character a face may make certain admissions by its outline; but it fully confesses only in its changes.  So much is this the case that what is called the play of the features often helps more in understanding a man or woman than the earnest labours of all the other members together.  Thus the night revealed little of her whose form it was embracing, for the mobile parts of her countenance could not be seen.

At last she gave up her spying attitude, closed the telescope, and turned to the decaying embers.  From these no appreciable beams now radiated, except when a more than usually smart gust brushed over their faces and raised a fitful glow which came and went like the blush of a girl.  She stooped over the silent circle, and selecting from the brands a piece of stick which bore the largest live coal at its end, brought it to where she had been standing before.

She held the brand to the ground, blowing the red coal with her mouth at the same time; till it faintly illuminated the sod, and revealed a small object, which turned out to be an hourglass, though she wore a watch.  She blew long enough to show that the sand had all slipped through.

“Ah!” she said, as if surprised.

The light raised by her breath had been very fitful, and a momentary irradiation of flesh was all that it had disclosed of her face.  That consisted of two matchless lips and a cheek only, her head being still enveloped.  She threw away the stick, took the glass in her hand, the telescope under her arm, and moved on.