His sudden appearance was to darkness what the sound of a trumpet is to silence.

Gloom, the _genius loci_ at all times hitherto, was now totally overthrown, less by the lantern-light than by what the lantern lighted.

The contrast of this revelation with her anticipations of some sinister figure in sombre garb was so great that it had upon her the effect of a fairy transformation.
It was immediately apparent that the military man's spur had become entangled in the gimp which decorated the skirt of her dress.

He caught a view of her face.
"I'll unfasten you in one moment, miss," he said, with new-born gallantry.
"Oh no--I can do it, thank you," she hastily replied, and stooped for the performance.
The unfastening was not such a trifling affair.

The rowel of the spur had so wound itself among the gimp cords in those few moments, that separation was likely to be a matter of time.
He too stooped, and the lantern standing on the ground betwixt them threw the gleam from its open side among the fir-tree needles and the blades of long damp grass with the effect of a large glowworm.