is fellow-men. Night after night he was
sure to rise from his tomb and go a-hunting for a human prey. He sucked
blood, and so drained the life of the innocent clean away. He devoured
human flesh. He chased his victims as though he were a mad dog, sending
them crazed by his bite, or worrying and mangling them to a dreadful
death.

This citizen, then, was not likely to rest in peace, and but a night or
two after the earth had been heaped over his grave, he was up and out
and rushing through the dark streets where his decorous footsteps had so
often fallen solidly by day, so often slunk stealthily by night.

By Satan's agency he was set free, all men averred, yet the master that
he had faithfully served did but little to pleasure him. For all the
night through, as long as darkness lasted, the dead sinner was hunted
through the deserted streets by a pack of baying hell-hounds. Round the
walls, down by the quay, up Hyde Hill, through the Scots Gate, down
lanes and byeways and back again round the walls--a weariful hunt it
was. Thankfully must the quarry have welcomed the first streaks of
light on the grey sea line, when the chase was ended and he was
permitted to rest in his coffin once more.

Only the bravest durst venture out of doors after dusk, and the good
people of Berwick lay a-trembling in their beds as the hunt swept past
their very doors, and the blood-curdling howls of the hounds turned
their hearts to water within them.

But always, in such a case, there are to be found one or two bold
spirits, or one or two so heedless of what is passing around them that
they rush into danger unawares. Such there were at Berwick-on-Tweed, and
to them the hunted soul spoke as he fled past, the hell-hounds slavering
at his heels. "Until my body is burnt," he cried, "you folk of Berwick
shall have no peace!" And as they rushed for sanctuary into the nearest
dwelling they fancied they could still hear the tormented wretch's
shriek, shrill above the baying of the dogs--"Burn! burn! Peace! peace!"

So the people of the town took counsel together, and having solemnly
concluded that "were a remedy further delayed, the atmosphere, infected
and corrupted by the constant whirlings through it of the pestiferous
corpse, would engender disease and death to a great extent," they
resolved to follow the vampire's own suggestion. Ten young men,
"renowned for boldness," were appointed to lay the Horror. They went to
the grave, dug up the corp