-ground."

He gave a nod toward the slope of the mountain that intercepted the
melancholy view of the graveyard.

"Got it yit!" he continued; "bekase" (he lowered his voice) "on windy
nights, whenst the moon is on the wane, she is viewed kerryin' the baby
along the bredge--kerryin' it clear over, _safe an' sound_, like she
thought she oughter done, I reckon, in that one minute, whilst she stood
an' screamed an' surveyed what she hed done. That child would hev been
nigh ter my age ef he hed lived."

Only the sunbeams wavered athwart the bridge now as the firs swayed
above, giving glimpses of the sky, and their fibrous shadows flickered
back and forth. The wild mountain stream flashed white between the brown
bowlders, and plunged down the gorge in a succession of cascades, each
seeming more transparently green and amber and brown than the other. The
chestnut horse gazed meditatively at these limpid out-gushings, having
drunk his fill; then thought better of his moderation, and once more
thrust his head down to the water. The hand of his rider, which had
made a motion to gather up the reins, dropped leniently on his neck, as
Simeon Roxby spoke again:

"Several--several others hev been viewed, actin' accordin' ter thar
motions in life. Now thar war a peddler--some say he slipped one icy
evenin', 'bout dusk in winter--some say evil ones waylaid him fur his
gear an' his goods in his pack, but the settlemint mostly believes
he war alone whenst he fell. His pack 'pears ter be full still, they
say--but ye air 'bleeged ter know he hev hed ter set that pack down fur
good 'fore this time. We kin take nuthin' out'n this world, no matter
what kind o' a line o' goods we kerry in life. Heaven's no place fur
tradin', I understan', an' I _do_ wonder sometimes how in the worl' them
merchants an' sech in the valley towns air goin' ter entertain tharse'fs
in the happy land o' Canaan. It's goin' ter be sorter bleak fur them,
sure's ye air born."

With a look of freshened recollection, he suddenly drew a plug of
tobacco from his pocket, and he talked on even as he gnawed a piece from
it.

"Durin' the war a cavalry-man got shot out hyar whilst runnin' 'crost
that thar foot-bredge. Thar hed been a scrimmage an' his horse war kilt,
an' he tuk ter the bresh on foot, hopin' ter hide in the laurel. But ez
he war crossin' the foot-bredge some o' the pursuin' party war fordin'
the ruver over thar, an' thinkin' he'd make out ter escape they fir