th from the margin of the wood, a white
figure now appeared. It paused a little, and seemed to look about; and
then, at a slow pace, and bent almost double, it began to draw near
across the heath. At every step the bell clanked. Face, it had none; a
white hood, not even pierced with eye-holes, veiled the head; and as the
creature moved, it seemed to feel its way with the tapping of a stick.
Fear fell upon the lads, as cold as death.

"A leper!" said Dick, hoarsely.

"His touch is death," said Matcham. "Let us run."

"Not so," returned Dick. "See ye not?--he is stone blind. He guideth him
with a staff. Let us lie still; the wind bloweth towards the path, and
he will go by and hurt us not. Alas, poor soul, and we should rather
pity him!"

"I will pity him when he is by," replied Matcham.

The blind leper was now about half-way towards them, and just then the
sun rose and shone full on his veiled face. He had been a tall man
before he was bowed by his disgusting sickness, and even now he walked
with a vigorous step. The dismal beating of his bell, the pattering of
the stick, the eyeless screen before his countenance, and the knowledge
that he was not only doomed to death and suffering, but shut out for
ever from the touch of his fellow-men, filled the lads' bosoms with
dismay; and at every step that brought him nearer, their courage and
strength seemed to desert them.

As he came about level with the pit, he paused, and turned his face full
upon the lads.

"Mary be my shield! He sees us!" said Matcham, faintly.

"Hush!" whispered Dick. "He doth but hearken. He is blind, fool!"

The leper looked or listened, whichever he was really doing, for some
seconds. Then he began to move on again, but presently paused once more,
and again turned and seemed to gaze upon the lads. Even Dick became
dead-white and closed his eyes, as if by the mere sight he might become
infected. But soon the bell sounded, and this time, without any further
hesitation, the leper crossed the remainder of the little heath and
disappeared into the covert of the woods.

"He saw us," said Matcham. "I could swear it!"

"Tut!" returned Dick, recovering some sparks of courage. "He but heard
us. He was in fear, poor soul! An ye were blind, and walked in a
perpetual night, ye would start yourself, if ever a twig rustled or a
bird cried 'Peep.'"

"Dick, good Dick, he saw us," repeated Matcham. "When a man hearkeneth,
he doth not as this man; he doth