256 Poa ch e rs a n d Po a ch ing. 



end of six silent weeks there came a great 

 change. A soft, warm wind set in from the 

 south, bringing heavy rain-clouds. First the 

 snow of the lower lands became honeycombed, 

 then was dissolved by the night rains. Black 

 seams and scars picked out the dread ravines 

 of the hills; and the fell becks tore down 

 the slopes bearing tons of loose debris. The 

 valleys became river-beds, and masses of brown 

 water rushed off to the sea. In thirty-six 

 hours the transformation was complete, and 

 striking beyond description. The burst of life 

 and the babel of sounds were almost bewilder- 

 ing. The air was filled with the flutter of wings 

 and voices of birds. In short, by sea or by 

 land, never was there a more sudden change. 

 A new element was in the air, and the older 

 farmers averred that there had been a "ground 

 thaw " an event as rare, according to them, as 

 a lunar rainbow. 



One of the results of the transformation was 

 that great masses of crag had fallen, and a 

 mightier mass than all hung trembling in a 

 black abyss. As soon as the sky had cleared 

 Old Mould was abroad on the mountain, his 

 bleared eyes greedily fixed on the loosened crag. 

 His tottering mind saw in the wet, glowing iron- 

 stone the realisation of his life-dream. The 

 ruined speculators, the engineers, the miners all 

 were wrong. His faith in the mountain was 

 fulfilled. As he looked, a cold perspiration broke 



