if she was a resident of the village.
She informed them that she was a stranger in the place, and had stopped
at the village inn, where she had been but a few days.

On hearing this, the family with great earnestness urged her to remain
with them; Fostina gratefully accepted the invitation, and, at their
request, promised to take up her abode in this retired spot during the
coming winter, thinking, in this secluded place, she might pass her
time in peace and quietness, free from care and anxiety.

Weeks passed away, and Fostina continued to remain at the castle, much
pleased with her new home. During this time she had not revealed any
thing connected with her history, to her friends, who had never made
any allusion to the subject. Although Fostina had often observed that
there was something mysterious in the conduct of the family, yet they
had always treated her with the greatest kindness.

It was late one evening, soon after the family had retired, that the
sound of voices was heard, and footsteps approaching the castle,
followed by a loud rapping at the door, which was immediately opened by
Mr. Cameron, who, on hearing the alarm, hastened to answer the call.
Soon after, persons were heard entering, and descending into a lower
room.

Fostina, trembling with fear, hastily arose, and was on the point of
rushing to the apartment of Mrs. Cameron, to ascertain the cause of the
disturbance. But the fear of encountering some one in the passage,
caused her to remain silent. She listened, and distinctly heard the
voices of several persons conversing in a low tone. A few moments
elapsed, all was silent; she then retired, but not to rest; the
circumstances which had taken place that night, together with the fact
that the disturbance had caused no excitement in the family, gave
Fostina great cause for alarm. She lay in breathless anxiety until past
midnight, when she heard the same persons ascend from below, and take
their departure.

At an early hour the next morning Fostina entered the hall, where she
met Mrs. Cameron, and inquired into the mystery of the proceedings the
evening previous. She informed her that report had long been current
that the castle was haunted, and as she had often heard the same
disturbance during the night, she was confirmed in the belief that it
was so.

Fostina could scarcely credit this intelligence, but made no farther
inquiries upon the subject.

The day passed heavily away, and Fostina obs