Wessex Tales

es that she had raked out in front of her to extinguish them. She contemplated so intently the new wife, as presented to her

young wife, in the pale silk dress and white bonnet, but with features shockingly distorted, and wrinkled as by age, was sitting upon her chest as she lay. The pressure of Mrs. Lodge's person grew heavier; the blue eyes peered cruelly into her face; and then the figure thrust forward its left hand mockin

hand, seized the confronting spectre by its obtrusive left arm, and whirled

g on the edge of the bed in a cold swea

ery flesh and bone of it, as it seemed. She looked on the floor whi

d haggard she looked. The milk that she drew quivered into the pail; her hand had not calmed even yet, an

er, mother, last night?' said her

anything fall?

the clock s

going afield on the farms, and she indulged his reluctance. Between eleven and twelve the garden-gate clicked, and she lifte

come!' exclaimed the b

n? How does

oken to her. I talk

indignantly, 'never to speak to anybod

poke to me. And I did not go near

d you te

t dry if it came on wet, because they were so cracked. I told her I lived with my mother, and we had enough to do to keep ourselves, and that's how it

seen her in the bed-chamber, but in a morning hat, and gown of common light

s still strong. Brook had almost expected to see the wr

There was, however, no backdoor to the cottage, and in an ins

d she, glancing at the lad, and smiling. 'B

f Rhoda's midnight visitant, that the latter could hardly believe the evidence of her senses. She was truly glad that she had not hidden away in sheer

d have her blessing and not her curse. When she left them a light seemed gone from the dwelling. Two days later she came again

r house is the nearest outside our own parish.

nd large frame, than in the soft-cheeked young woman before her. The conversation became quite confidential as regarded their powers and weaknesses;

h being usually good. 'Though, now you remind me,' she added, 'I have one litt

d seized in her dream. Upon the pink round surface of the arm were faint marks of an unhealthy colour, as if produced by a rough g

ppen?' she sai

y shot into my arm there, and was so keen as to awaken me. I must have struck it in the daytime, I suppose, though I don't remember doing so.' She a

. . On what nig

on the morrow. 'When I awoke I could not remember where I

uilty thing. The artless disclosure startled her; she did not reason on the freaks of coinc

will?' She knew that she had been slily called a witch since her fall; but never having understood why that particular stigma ha