gentlemen, before whom she courtesied with great elegance, while the
stranger stopped speaking, and looked at her with amazement, as he
rose, and returned her greeting.

"My dear Captain Jack McAllister!" said she; "what a surprise! and are
you not home soon from your voyage? This is indeed a pleasure." And
Lady Ferry seated herself, motioning to him to take the chair beside
her. She looked younger than I had ever seen her; a bright color came
into her cheeks; and she talked so gayly, in such a different manner
from her usual mournful gentleness. She must have been a beautiful
woman; indeed she was that still.

"And did the good ship Starlight make a prosperous voyage? and had you
many perils?--do you bring much news to us from the Spanish Main? We
have missed you sadly at the assemblies; but there must be a dance in
your honor. And your wife; is she not overjoyed at the sight of you? I
think you have grown old and sedate since you went away. You do not
look the gay sailor, or seem so light-hearted."

"I do not understand you, madam," said the stranger. "I am certainly
John McAllister; but I am no captain, neither have I been at sea. Good
God! is it my grandfather whom you confuse me with?" cried he. "He was
Jack McAllister, and was lost at sea more than seventy years ago,
while my own father was a baby. I am told that I am wonderfully like
his portrait; but he was a younger man than I when he died. This is
some masquerade."

Lady Ferry looked at him intently, but the light in her face was fast
fading out. "Lost at sea,--lost at sea, were you, Jack McAllister,
seventy years ago? I know nothing of years; one of my days is like
another, and they are gray days, they creep away and hide, and
sometimes one comes back to mock me. I have lived a thousand years; do
you know it? Lost at sea--captain of the ship Starlight? Whom did you
say?--Jack McAllister, yes, I knew him well--pardon me; good-evening;"
and my lady rose, and with her head nodding and drooping, with a
sorrowful, hunted look in her eyes, went out again into the shadows.
She had had a flash of youth, the candle had blazed up brilliantly;
but it went out again as suddenly, with flickering and smoke.

"I was startled when I saw her beside me," said Mr. McAllister. "Pray,
who is she? she is like no one I have ever seen. I have been told that
I am like my grandfather in looks and in voice; but it is years since
I have seen any one who knew him well. And did you