Luke ye,' he continued, dropping his voice as he opened the 'house' door for her; 'ef you want ayder ov oos, you just call oot--sharp! Mrs.Irwin, she'll stay in wi' ye--she's not afeeard!' The superstitious excitement which the looks and gestures of the old man expressed, touched Catherine's imagination, and she entered the room with an inward shiver.
Mary Backhouse lay raised high on her pillows, talking to herself or to imaginary other persons, with eyes wide open but vacant, and senses conscious of nothing but the dream-world in which the mind was wandering.

Catherine sat softly down beside her, unnoticed, thankful for the chances of disease.

If this delirium lasted till the ghost-hour--the time of twilight, that is to say, which would begin about half-past eight, and the duration of which would depend on the cloudiness of the evening--was over; or, better still, till midnight were past; the strain on the girl's agonized senses might be relieved, and death come at last in softer, kinder guise.
'Has she been long like this ?' she asked softly of the neighbor who sat quietly knitting by the evening light.
The woman looked up and thought.
'Ay!' she said.

'Aa came in at tea-time, an' she's been maistly taakin' ivver sence!' The incoherent whisperings and restless movements, which obliged Catherine constantly to replace the coverings over the poor wasted and fevered body, went on for sometime.

Catherine noticed presently, with a little thrill, that the light was beginning to change.