on, the
morbid play of her thoughts, seemed to make it part of a dream which
the morning light might dissipate, but could never fully explain.

With something of this feeling still upon her, she kept her way to the
river. Its banks were still fringed with ice, through which its dark
current flowed noiselessly. She knew it flowed through the camp where
lay her faithless lover, and for an instant indulged the thought of
following it, and facing him with the proof of his guilt; but even at
the thought she recoiled with a new and sudden doubt in herself, and
stood dreamily watching the shimmer of the moon on the icy banks, until
another, and, it seemed to her, equally unreal vision suddenly stayed
her feet, and drove the blood from her feverish cheeks.

A figure was slowly approaching from the direction of the sleeping
encampment. Tall, erect, and habited in a gray surtout, with a hood
partially concealing its face, it was the counterfeit presentment of
the ghostly visitant she had heard described. Thankful scarcely
breathed. The brave little heart that had not quailed before the
sentry's levelled musket a moment before now faltered and stood still,
as the phantom with a slow and majestic tread moved toward her. She
had only time to gain the shelter of a tree before the figure,
majestically unconscious of her presence, passed slowly by. Through
all her terror Thankful was still true to a certain rustic habit of
practical perception to observe that the tread of the phantom was quite
audible over the crust of snow, and was visible and palpable as the
imprint of a military boot.

The blood came back to Thankful's cheek, and with it her old audacity.
In another instant she was out from the tree, and tracking with a light
feline tread the apparition that now loomed up the hill before her.
Slipping from tree to tree, she followed until it passed before the
door of a low hut or farm-shed that stood midway up the hill. Here it
entered, and the door closed behind it. With every sense feverishly
alert, Thankful, from the secure advantage of a large maple, watched
the door of the hut. In a few moments it re-opened to the same figure
free of its gray enwrappings. Forgetful of every thing now, but
detecting the face of the impostor, the fearless girl left the tree,
and placed herself directly in the path of the figure. At the same
moment it turned toward her inquiringly, and the moonlight fell full
upon the calm, composed