Sybil stopped,
she spoke to some, the rest gathered around her. The Hell-
cats were coming, they said; they were on the other side of
the river, burning mills, destroying all they could put their
hands on, man, woman and child.
Sybil, alarmed for her father, put to them some questions, to
which they gave incoherent answers. It was however clear that
they had seen no one, and knew nothing of their own
experience. The rumour had reached them that the mob was
advancing up Dale, those who had apprised them had, according
to their statement, absolutely witnessed the approach of the
multitude, and so they had locked up their cottages, crossed
the bridge, and ran away to the woods and moor. Under these
circumstances, deeming that there might be much exaggeration,
Sybil at length resolved to advance, and in a few minutes
those whom she had encountered were out of sight. She patted
Harold, who looked up in her face and gave a bark, significant
of his approbation of her proceeding, and also of his
consciousness that something strange was going on. She had
not proceeded very far before two men on horseback, at full
gallop, met her. They pulled up directly they observed her,
and said, "You had better go back as fast as you can: the mob
is out, and coming up Dale in great force.
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