its hinges, how much she feared the terrible master; and when
Petronella was sufficiently recovered to be able to enter into the
kind of conversation by means of signals which in some sort
resembled the finger talking of more modern times, she learned that
indeed her father was in a more black and terrible mood than ever
before, and that old Martha herself went in fear of her life.

Bit by bit the old woman made the girl understand what had
happened. Shortly after the day upon which she had found her young
mistress lying cold and insensible on the stone floor of the hall,
Philip Trevlyn had come to the Gate House, and had demanded an
interview with the owner. Right well did both the women know the
nature of that errand, though none had been present but the young
lover and the enraged father. There could be no manner of doubt but
that, incited to it by Cuthbert's tale, he had come to make a
definite offer of marriage, and doubtless had tried to bribe the
avaricious old man by some tempting offer of gold or land. But
whatever had been the terms in which the proposal was couched,
anger had proved a stronger passion with Nicholas than greed.
Philip had been driven from the house with a fury that threatened
actual violence, and for hours afterwards Nicholas had raged up and
down the house like a wild beast in a cage. He had once gone up to
his daughter's room with a face so full of fury that the old woman
had feared he meant to fall upon her then and there; but even he
had been calmed by a glance at the still, unconscious face upon the
pillow, so white and bloodless and death-like; and the man had gone
down with a quieter footfall than he had mounted, but had been
brooding in sullen fury ever since, so that the old servant had
feared to approach him even to bring him his needful food. She had
spent almost all her time up with her young mistress, afraid to