erself in a clump of lilac bushes and watched.

Presently she saw the Flounder, after glancing about to make sure that
she was alone, enter the chapel, carrying the child, and heard her
bolt the door after her. Now Bridget, as she said afterwards, grew very
frightened, she knew not why, and, acting on impulse, ran to the chancel
window and, climbing on to a wheelbarrow that stood there, looked
through it. This is what she saw.

Mother Megges was kneeling in the chancel, as she thought at first,
to say her prayers, till she perceived, for a ray from the setting sun
showed it all, that on the paving before her lay the infant and that
this she-devil was thrusting her thick forefinger down its throat, for
already it grew black in the face, and as she thrust muttering savagely.
So horror-struck was Bridget that she could neither move nor cry.

Then, while she stood petrified, suddenly there appeared the figure of
a man in rusty armour. The Flounder looked up, saw him and, withdrawing
her finger from the mouth of the child, let out yell after yell. The
man, who said nothing, drew a sword and lifted it, whereon the murderess
screamed--

"The ghost! The ghost! Spare me, Sir John, I am poor and he paid me.
Spare me for Christ's sake!" and so saying, she rolled on to the floor
in a fit, and there turned and twisted until she lay still.

Then the man, or the ghost of a man, having looked at her, sheathed
his sword and lifting up the babe, which now drew its breath again and
cried, marched with it down the aisle. The next thing of which Bridget
became aware was that he stood before her, the infant in his arms,
holding it out to her. His face she could not see, for the vizor was
down, but he spoke in a hollow voice, saying--

"This gift from Heaven to the Lady Harflete. Bid her fear nothing, for
one devil I have garnered and the others are ripe for reaping."

Bridget took the child and sank down on to the ground, and at that
moment the nuns, alarmed by the awful yells, rushed through the side
door, headed by Mother Matilda. They too saw the figure, and knew the
Foterell cognizance upon its helm and shield. But it waited not to speak
to them, only passed behind some trees and vanished.

Their first care was for the infant, which they thought the man was
stealing; then, after they were sure that it had taken no real hurt,
they questioned old Bridget, but could get nothing from her, for all she
did was to gibber and point first