The clouds above shifted a little. To those wrapped in true anticipation
their shifting was as the first sign of a descending heaven. Somewhere
behind the thick clouds there was a crescent moon, and when in the upper
region of the sky a rift was made in the deep cloud cover, though she
did not shine through, the sky beyond was lit by her light, and the
upper edges of cloud were white as snow.

As the well of clear far light was opened to the old man's gaze, his
prayer stopped suddenly, and he stood only looking upwards. They did not
see so much as know from the manner in which his voice had failed, that
for him, at least, there were moments of ecstasy in the assurance of
hope.

"Poor fellow!" muttered Alec under his breath, for he felt the poignant
disappointment of the awakening.

A sweet sound made some of them turn an instant toward the wood, for a
little bird, disturbed in its hiding there, lilted forth a twittering
song of joy.

Its notes had not ceased when Alec heard a gasp of terror from the lady
near him, and saw, as one sees an act there is no time to avert, that
one of the rough fellows who were standing behind the old man had
suddenly struck him down by a savage blow upon the head.

Alec Trenholme ran and sprang upon the man who had struck the blow. Some
other man, he did not see which, wrested the club from the fellow's
hand. In the moments Alec was grappling with him he became conscious
that the old man lying near his feet on the grass was more to him than
revenge, and, with the caprice of a boy who turns from what interests