oath.

"You don't believe in ghosts, do you, Cass?" said he, taking the tongs
and settling the fire. "I thought you'd more sense than to let noises
scare _you_."

"No matter what I believe," said Cassy, sullenly.

"Fellows used to try to frighten me with their yarns at sea," said
Legree. "Never come it round me that way. I'm too tough for any such
trash, tell ye."

Cassy sat looking intensely at him in the shadow of the corner. There
was that strange light in her eyes that always impressed Legree with
uneasiness.

"Them noises was nothing but rats and the wind," said Legree. "Rats will
make a devil of a noise. I used to hear 'em sometimes down in the hold
of the ship; and wind,--Lord's sake! ye can make anything out o' wind."

Cassy knew Legree was uneasy under her eyes, and, therefore, she made
no answer, but sat fixing them on him, with that strange, unearthly
expression, as before.

"Come, speak out, woman,--don't you think so?" said Legree.

"Can rats walk down stairs, and come walking through the entry, and open
a door when you've locked it and set a chair against it?" said Cassy;
"and come walk, walk, walking right up to your bed, and put out their
hand, so?"

Cassy kept her glittering eyes fixed on Legree, as she spoke, and he
stared at her like a man in the nightmare, till, when she finished by
laying her hand, icy cold, on his, he sprung back, with an oath.

"Woman! what do you mean? Nobody did?"

"O, no,--of course not,--did I say they did?" said Cassy, with a smile
of chilling derision.

"But--did--have you really seen?--Come, Cass, what is it, now,--speak
out!"

"You may sleep there, yourself," said Cassy, "if you want to know."

"Did it come from the garret, Cassy?"

"_It_,--what?" said Cassy.

"Why, what you told of--"

"I didn't tell you anything," said Cassy, with dogged sullenness.

Legree walked up and down the room, uneasily.

"I'll have this yer thing examined. I'll look into it, this very night.
I'll take my pistols--"

"Do," said Cassy; "sleep in that room. I'd like to see you doing it.
Fire your pistols,--do!"

Legree stamped his foot, and swore violently.

"Don't swear," said Cassy; "nobody knows who may be hearing you. Hark!
What was that?"

"What?" said Legree, starting.

A heavy old Dutch clock, that stood in the corner of the room, began,
and slowly struck twelve.

For some reason or other, Legree neither spoke nor moved; a vague horror
fell on him; while C