Mr. Walton is walking through the town by starlight, on his way to the deathbed of Catherine Weir. He feels disconnected from the stars, as though they do not understand what death is.
Catherine is dying, but is still at peace. Mr. Walton notices that she is looking at her son and crying, so he promises to be Gerard's godfather. They take communion together, and two hours later Catherine goes home.
As he is leaving the house, he hears that Old Rogers has been looking for him, so he goes to Old Rogers' house. The house is dark so Mr. Walton goes to sit beside the mill next to the house. He senses that Old Rogers wanted to tell him some bad news about Ethelwyn. He feels helpless to do anything for her, so he prays.
Just then the mill door opens, and Old Rogers steps out. He has been praying inside the mill for Mr. Walton and Ethelwyn. He does not elaborate, but tells Mr. Walton that the captain is still at Ethelwyn's house.
Mr. Walton does not know what to do. He wanders through the fields under the stars, and finds himself at the gate of Ethelwyn's house. Finding it open, he goes in and climbs the stairs down to the old quarry below the house, where he sits praying, looking towards the light in Ethelwyn's window.
When he finally goes home to bed, he dreams that Ethelwyn's mother has murdered her and thrown her into the lake in the quarry.
