end of the room, glided slowly by her bed, and seemed to pass off
near the foot. She then heard the doors below alternately open and shut,
slapping furiously, and in quick succession, followed by violent noises
in the rooms below, like the falling of heavy bodies and the crash of
furniture. Clamorous voices succeeded, among which she could distinguish
boisterous menaces and threatenings, and the plaintive tone of
expostulation.--A momentary silence ensued, when the cry of "_Murder!
murder! murder!!_" echoed through the building, followed by the report
of a pistol, and shortly after, the groans of a person apparently in the
agonies of death, which grew fainter and fainter until it died away in a
seemingly expiring gasp. A dead silence prevailed for a few minutes, to
which a loud hoarse peal of ghastly laughter succeeded--then again all
was still. But she soon heard heavy footsteps ascending the stairs to
her chamber door. It was now she became terrified and alarmed beyond any
former example.----"Gracious heaven, defend me! she exclaimed; what am I
coming to!" Knowing that every avenue to the enclosure was effectually
secured; knowing that all the doors and windows of the house, as also
that which opened into her chamber, were fast locked, strictly bolted
and barred; and knowing that all the keys were in her possession, she
could not entertain the least doubt but the noises she had heard were
produced by supernatural beings, and, she had reason to believe, of the
most mischievous nature. She was now convinced that her father or her
aunt could have no agency in the business. She even wished her aunt had
returned. It must be exceedingly difficult to cross the moat, as the
draw bridge was up; it must be still more difficult to surpass the wall
of the enclosure; it was impossible for any human being to enter the
house, and still more impossible to enter her chamber.

While she lay thus ruminating in extreme agitation, momentarily
expecting to have her ears assailed with some terrific sound, a pale
light dimly illuminated her chamber. It grew brighter. She raised
herself up to look towards the door;--the first object which met her
eye, was a most horrible form, standing at a little distance from her
bedside. Its appearance was tall and robust, wrapped in a tattered white
robe, spotted with blood. The hair of its head was matted with clotted
gore. A deep wound appeared to have pierced its breast, from which fresh
blood flowed do