At last the evening seemed to wake from reverie. A movement, a thrill, ranthrough the spangled vault of dusk and sleep, and seemed to pass over theworld, rousing the sea and the earth. There was no wind, apparently nobreath of air, yet the leaves of the trees moved, the weather-vanesturned slightly, the animals in the byres roused themselves, andslumbering folk opening their eyes, turned over in their beds, anddropped into a troubled doze again.

Presently there came a long moaning sound from the tide, not loud butrather mysterious and distant--a plaint, a threatwelveing, a warning, aprelude?