e of an autumn day that Anna, who had been walking
since early morning with scarcely an interval of rest, found herself,
in spite of her great capability of enduring fatigue, somewhat
foot-sore and weary on arriving at the town of ----. As she passed
along the streets, she observed an unusual degree of bustle and
excitement; and, on inquiring the cause, found that a large
detachment of soldiers, on their way to the continent, had arrived in
the town that afternoon, and that some difficulty was experienced in
finding them accommodation. This was not very agreeable news for
Anna, tired as she was; however, she pursued her way to the house of
the clergyman, where she had, in passing that way before, been
hospitably entertained, hoping that there she might be able to
procure a lodging, however humble. But in this she was disappointed;
for though the good clergyman and his wife received her kindly, they
could not offer her shelter for the night, as they had already more
guests than they could conveniently accommodate. Anna would have been
contented and thankful for a bed of straw by the kitchen fire; but
even this they could not give, as the lower apartments were wanted by
those who had been obliged to give up their beds.

At length, after some hesitation, the clergyman said, 'I know but of
one place where you could at this time find a lodging. You appear to
be a woman of good courage, and if you dare venture, you may occupy a
room in that house you see from this window. It is uninhabited, and
has been so for some years, as it has the reputation of being
haunted. Anna looked in the direction indicated, and saw through the
deepening twilight a large two-storied house, built of a dull red
brick, with stone copings, standing at some distance from the
high-road. The house itself occupied a considerable extent of ground,
being beautifully situated, with fronts to the south and west. The
principal entrance was by folding-doors, half of which were glass;
and the house was sheltered on the north and east by a grove of
trees, whose branches, now but thinly covered with leaves, waved
mournfully to and fro in the night wind. 'The last proprietor of that
place,' continued the clergyman, 'was a vicious and depraved man,
whose very existence was a curse to the neighbourhood in which he
dwelt. At an early age he came into possession of a large property,
which he spent in the gratification of every base and lawless
passion. His life, as fa