"'A stranger who has been to various stations for the purpose of buying
cattle, and has lost his way. Give me shelter for the night, and God
will reward you.'

"The latter part of the solicitation sounded as though uttered in a
hypocritical tone, and I was undecided whether to comply with the
request, or send him to the next station, about ten miles distant. A
fresh gust of wind influenced me; I slipped off the bar and opened the
door; but next moment I would have given all the sheep under my charge
to have had my guest where he was five minutes previous, with the oak
bar across the door; for by the flickering fire that blazed upon the
hearth I saw that my visitor was Black Darnley.

"He was greatly altered since I had seen him last. His clothes hung in
tatters about his body, while his large feet were shoeless and bleeding
profusely: but the fire of his black eyes was unquenched, and the bony
form, still upright in spite of the hard labor to which he had been
subjected, gave assurance, to my dismay, that he still possessed his
giant strength.

"The instant he entered the hut he closely scrutinized my face, and then
cast hurried glances around the room to see if I were alone. Satisfied
that I was, he strode to the fire, and seated himself near its cheerful
blaze.

"'I have seen your face somewhere,' he said, looking at me keenly.

"'I should think you would remember it,' I replied, 'for we were both
passengers in the same ship.'