the superstitious
accounts of whom the country then abounded, were, in the eyes of
her more strong-minded friends, only a source of that caressing and
indulgent affection which made its artless and innocent object more dear
to them. Every one knows with what natural affection and tenderness we
love the object which clings to us for support under the apprehension
of danger, even when we ourselves are satisfied that the apprehension
is groundless. So was it with Alice Goodwin, whose harmless foibles
and weaknesses, associated as they were with so much truth and purity,
rendered her the darling of all who knew her.

Woodward had not proceeded far on his way when he was overtaken by
an equestrian, who came up to him at a smart pace, which, however, he
checked on getting beside him.

"A fine morning, sir, after an awful night," observed the stranger.

"It is, sir," replied Woodward, "and a most awful night it assuredly
was. Have you heard whether there has been destruction to life or
property to any extent?"

"Not so much to life," replied his companion, "but seriously, I
understand, to property. If you had ridden far you must have observed
the number of dwelling-houses and out-offices that have been unroofed,
and some of them altogether blown down."

"I have not ridden far," said Woodward; "I was obliged to take shelter
in the house of a country gentleman named Goodwin, who lives over in the
trees."

"You were fortunate in finding shelter anywhere," replied the stranger,
"during such a tempest. I remember nothing like it."

As they proceeded along, indulging in similar chat, they observed that
five or six countrymen, who had been walking at a smart pace, about a
couple of hundred yards before them, came suddenly to a stand-still,
and, after appearing to consult together, they darted off the road
and laid themselves down, as if with a view of concealment, behind the
grassy ditch which ran along it.

"What can these persons mean?" asked Woodward; "they seem to be
concealing themselves."

"Unquestionably they do," replied the stranger; "and yet there appears
to be no pursuit after them. I certainly can give no guess as to their
object."

While attempting, as they went along, to account for the conduct of the
peasants, they were met by a female with a head of hair that was nearly
blood-red, and whose features were hideously ugly, or rather, we should
say, absolutely revolting. Her brows, which were of the same col