enery was familiar, waited not to look back
upon its beauty or its richness. Not so Raymond, who, from the moment
they began to ascend the elevation, kept constantly looking back, and
straining his eyes in one particular direction. At length he started,
and placing his right hand upon the priest's shoulder, said in a
suppressed but eager voice--

"Go on--go on--they're coming." Then, turning to the female--"Come,"
said he; "come, Mary,--I'll help you."

"Who is coming?" she exclaimed, whilst the paleness of death and terror
settled in her face; "for God's mercy, Raymond, who is coming?"

"I saw them," said he; "I saw them. Come--come fast--I'll help
you--don't thrimble--don't thrimble."

"Let us be guided by him," said the priest. "Raymond," he added, "we
cannot go much faster through this marshy heath, but do you aid Mary as
well as you can; as for me, I will try if it be possible to quicken my
pace."

He accordingly proceeded in advance of the other two for a little;
but it was only for a little. The female--who seemed excited by some
uncommon terror, and the wild, apprehensive manner of her companion,
into something not unlike the energy of despair--rushed on, as if she
had been only setting out, or gained supernatural strength. In a few
minutes she was beside the priest, whom she encouraged, and besought,
and entreated--ay, and in some moments of more vehement feeling,
absolutely chided, for not keeping pace with herself. They had now,
however, came within about a hundred yards of the cabin, which they soon
reached--the female entering it about a minute or two before the others,
in order to make those humble arrangements about a sick-bed, which,
however poverty may be forced to overlook on ordinary occasions, are
always attended to on the approach of the doctor, or the minister of
religion. In the instance before us, she had barely time to comfort her
sick husband, by an assurance that the priest had arrived, after which
she hastily wiped his lips and kissed them, then settled his head more
easily; after which she spread out to the best advantage the poor quilt
which covered him, and tucked it in about his lowly bed, so as to give
it something of a more tidy appearance.

The interior of the cottage, which the priest and Raymond entered
together, was, when the bitter and inclement nature of the morning, and
the state of the miserable inmates is considered, enough to make any
heart possessing humanity shudder.