I will. Come on."

They halted within a couple of yards of the body. Tom Eccles would not
go a step farther; so Marchdale advanced alone, and pretended to be,
with great repugnance, examining for the wound.

"He is quite dead," he said; "but I cannot see the hurt."--"I think he
turned his head as I fired."

"Did he? Let us see."

Marchdale lifted up the head, and disclosed such a mass of
clotted-looking blood, that Tom Eccles at once took to his heels, nor
stopped until he was nearly as far off as the ruins. Marchdale followed
him more slowly, and when he came up to him, he said,--

"The slugs have taken effect on his face."--"I know it--I know it. Don't
tell me."

"He looks horrible."--"And I am a murderer."

"Psha! You look upon this matter too seriously. Think of who and what he
was, and then you will soon acquit yourself of being open to any such
charge."--"I am bewildered, Mr. Marchdale, and cannot now know whether
he be a vampyre or not. If he be not, I have murdered, most
unjustifiably, a fellow-creature."

"Well, but if he be?"--"Why, even then I do not know but that I ought to
consider myself as guilty. He is one of God's creatures if he were ten
times a vampyre."

"Well, you really do take a serious view of the affair."--"Not more
serious than it deserves."

"And what do you mean to do?"--"I shall remain here to await the result
of what you tell me will ensue, if he be a real vampire. Even now the
moonbeams are full upon him, and each moment increasing in intensity.
Think you he will recover?"

"I do indeed."--"Then here will I wait."

"Since that is you resolve, I will keep you company. We shall easily
find some old stone in the ruins which will serve us for a seat, and
there at leisure we can keep our eyes upon the dead body, and be able to
observe if it make the least movement."

This plan was adopted, and they sat down just within the ruins, but in
such a place that they had a full view of the dead body, as it appeared
to be, of Sir Francis Varney, upon which the sweet moonbeams shone full
and clear.

Tom Eccles related how he was incited to come upon his expedition, but
he might have spared himself that trouble, as Marchdale had been in a
retired corner of the inn parlour before he came to his appointment with
Varney, and heard the business for the most part proposed.

Half-an-hour, certainly not more, might have elapsed; when suddenly Tom
Eccles uttered an exclamation, partly of surpr