nd his revelries repeated; and as the
lamps burned still more dim, and the embers of the fire dropped one by
one into that grey and blue dust that heralds their perfect decay, the
legends of the isle were rehearsed--How Sir Robert de Shurland, a great
knight and a powerful thane, being angry with a priest, buried him alive
in Minster churchyard; and then, fearing the king's displeasure, and
knowing he was at the Nore, swam on a most faithful horse to his majesty
from the island, to crave pardon for his sin; and the king pardoned him;
and then, right joyfully, he swam back to the land, where, on his
dismounting, he was accosted by a foul witch, who prophesied that the
horse which had saved him should be the cause of his death; but, in
order to prevent the accomplishment of the prophecy, he slew the
faithful animal upon the beach;--how that some time afterwards he passed
by the carcass, and striking a bone with his foot, it entered the flesh,
which mortified, and the tyrant died; in testimony whereof the tomb
stands in Minster church until this day, in the south wall, under a
pointed arch, where he lies, leaning on his shield and banner, and at
his feet a page, while behind him is carved the horse's head that caused
his death:--and, moreover, how his spirit is seen frequently leaping
from turret to turret of the house of Great Shurland, pursued by a
phantom steed! Of such like legends did they talk. Then they thanked God
that their lady was not likely to be Sir Willmott's wife, and spoke of
Dalton and his daring, and many of the old servants shuddered.

Then again they reverted to Barbara, and the women crept more closely
together, like a flock of frightened sheep, when one older than the
others affirmed that no true maid could ever rest in the ocean's bed,
unless a Bible were slung about her neck; and as Dalton, of course, had
no Bible, their beloved Barbara could have no rest, but must wander to
all eternity on the foam of the white waves, or among the coral-rocks
that pave the southern seas, or sigh in the shrouds of a doomed ship.
But again, some other said, as she was so pure a Christian, perhaps that
would save her from such a fate; and one of the soldiers who sat with
them reproved their folly, and lectured, and prayed for their
edification, with much zeal and godliness; and when he had concluded,
the thought came upon them that the Reverend Jonas Fleetword had not
been there since the earliest morning, when somebod