ent in the stormy annals of the Lyon family the
hammering is connected is quite unknown, except to members of the
family, but there is no lack of legends, possible and impossible, to
account for any sights or sounds in the magnificent old feudal edifice.

It is said that once a visitor stayed at Glamis Castle for a few days,
and, sitting up late one moonlight night, saw a face appear at the
window opposite to him. The owner of the face--it was very pale, with
great sorrowful eyes--appeared to wish to attract attention; but
vanished suddenly from the window, as if plucked suddenly away by
superior strength. For a long while the horror-stricken guest gazed at
the window, in the hope that the pale face and great sad eyes would
appear again. Nothing was seen at the window, but presently horrible
shrieks penetrated even the thick walls of the castle, and rent the
night air. An hour later, a dark huddled figure, like that of an old
decrepit woman, carrying something in a bundle, came into the waning
moonlight, and presently vanished.

There is a modern story of a stonemason, who was engaged at Glamis
Castle last century, and who, having discovered more than he should have
done, was supplied with a handsome competency, upon the conditions that
he emigrated and kept inviolable the secret he had learned.

The employment of a stonemason is explained by the conditions under
which the mystery is revealed to successive heirs and factors. The abode
of the dread secret is in a part of the castle, also haunted by the
apparition of a bearded man, who flits about at night, but without
committing any other objectionable action. What connection, if any, the
bearded spectre may have with the mystery is not even guessed. He hovers
at night over the couches of children for an instant, and then vanishes.
The secret itself abides in a room--a secret chamber--the very situation
of which, beyond a general idea that it is in the most ancient part of
the castle, is unknown. Where walls are fifteen feet thick, it is not
impossible to have a chamber so concealed, that none but the initiated
can guess its position. It was once attempted by a madcap party of
guests to discover the locality of the secret chamber, by hanging their
towels out of the window, and thus deciding in favour of any window from
which no spotless banner waved; but this escapade, which is said to have
been ill-received by the owners, ended in nothing but a vague conclusion
that t