."

"Nay, nay," said Henry, "this was not like that--it was a beast, sure
enough."

"Ay, and we have seen it since," said Bridget. "At least I have not seen
it clearly yet, but I have smelt its odour, and it turns me sick--but
John and Henry have seen it often--sometimes it lies and seems to sleep,
but it watches us; and again it is merry, and will leap in a corner--and
John saw it skip upon the sands near the wreck--did you not, John?" At
these words the two men again exchanged a glance, and then old Master
Grimston, with a dreadful look in his face, in which great anger seemed
to strive with fear, said "Nay, silly woman, it was not near the wreck,
it was out to the east." "It matters little," said Father Thomas, who
saw well enough this was no light matter. "I never heard the like of it.
I will myself come down to your house with a holy book, and see if the
thing will meet me. I know not what this is," he went on, "whether it is
a vain terror that hath hold of you; but there be spirits of evil in
the world, though much fettered by Christ and His Saints--we read of
such in Holy Writ--and the sea, too, doubtless hath its monsters; and it
may be that one hath wandered out of the waves, like a dog that hath
strayed from his home. I dare not say, till I have met it face to face.
But God gives no power to such things to hurt those who have a fair
conscience."--And here he made a stop, and looked at the three; Bridget
sate regarding him with a hope in her face; but the other two sate
peering upon the ground; and the priest divined in some secret way that
all was not well with them. "But I will come at once," he said rising,
"and I will see if I can cast out or bind the thing, whatever it be--for
I am in this place as a soldier of the Lord, to fight with works of
darkness." He took a clasped book from a table, and lifted up his hat,
saying, "Let us set forth." Then he said as they left the room, "Hath it
appeared to-day?" "Yes, indeed," said Henry, "and it was ill content.
It followed us as though it were angered." "Come," said Father Thomas
turning upon him, "you speak thus of a thing, as you might speak of a
dog--what is it like?" "Nay," said Henry, "I know not; I can never see
it clearly; it is like a speck in the eye--it is never there when you
look upon it--it glides away very secretly; it is most like a goat, I
think. It seems to be horned, and hairy; but I have seen its eyes, and
they were yellow, like a flame."

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