man in the house. Dost think there's no
life and vigor in this arm, thou drivelling old dotard?"

Upon which, Toft seized Peter by the throat with an energy that, but for
the timely intervention of the company, who rushed to his assistance,
the prophet might himself have anticipated the doom he prognosticated.

Released from the grasp of Toft, who was held back by the bystanders,
Peter again broke forth into his eldritch laugh; and staring right into
the face of his adversary, with eyes glistening, and hands uplifted, as
if in the act of calling down an imprecation on his head, he screamed,
in a shrill and discordant voice, "Soh! you will not take my warning?
you revile me--you flout me! 'Tis well! your fate shall prove a warning
to all unbelievers--_they_ shall remember this night, though _you_ will
not. Fool! fool!--your doom has long been sealed! I saw your wraith
choose out its last lodgment on Halloween; I know the spot. Your grave
is dug already--ha, ha!" And, with renewed laughter, Peter rushed out of
the room.

"Did I not caution thee not to provoke him, friend Toft?" said Plant;
"it's ill playing with edge-tools; but don't let him fly off in that
tantrum--one of ye go after him."

"That will I," replied Burtenshaw; and he departed in search of the
sexton.

"I'd advise thee to make it up with Peter so soon as thou canst,
neighbor," continued Plant; "he's a bad friend, but a worse enemy."

"Why, what harm can he do me?" returned Toft, who, however, was not
without some misgivings. "If I must die, I can't help it--I shall go
none the sooner for him, even if he speak the truth, which I don't think
he do; and if I must, I sha'n't go unprepared--only I think as how, if
it pleased Providence, I could have wished to keep my old missus company
some few years longer, and see those bits of lasses of mine grow up
into women, and respectably provided for. But His will be done. I
sha'n't leave 'em quite penniless, and there's one eye at least, I'm
sure, won't be dry at my departure." Here the stout heart of Toft gave
way, and he shed some few "natural tears," which, however, he speedily
brushed away. "I'll tell you what, neighbors," continued he, "I think we
may all as well be thinking of going to our own homes, for, to my mind,
we shall never reach the churchyard to-night."

"That _you_ never will," exclaimed a voice behind him; and Toft, turning
round, again met the glance of Peter.

"Come, come, Master Peter," c