Mrs. Elphinstone--that was the name of the woman in white--would
listen to no reasoning, and kept calling upon "George"; but her
sister-in-law was astonishingly quiet and deliberate, and at last
agreed to my brother's suggestion.  So, designing to cross the Great
North Road, they went on towards Barnet, my brother leading the pony
to save it as much as possible.  As the sun crept up the sky the day
became excessively hot, and under foot a thick, whitish sand grew
burning and blinding, so that they travelled only very slowly.  The
hedges were grey with dust.  And as they advanced towards Barnet a
tumultuous murmuring grew stronger.