As her busy fingers worked, her thoughts flew hither and thither, bringing back the memories of the past few days.

Now she stood in the kitchen, pistol in hand, facing the rascal Simon Hartley; and she laughed to think how he had shaken and cowered before the empty weapon.

Now she was in the vault of the ruined mill, with a thousand horrors of darkness pressing on her, and only the tiny spark of light in her lantern to keep off the black and shapeless monsters.

Now she thought of the kind farmer, with a throb of pity, as she recalled the hopeless sadness of his face the night before.

Just the very night before, only a few hours; and now how different everything was! Her heart gave a little happy thrill to think that she, Hilda, the "city gal," had been able to help these dear friends in their trouble.
They loved her already, she knew that; they would love her more now.