ttempt no overt act which should be of a
hostile character. This unquestionably was the mode, and perhaps we
should not be going too far when we say it was the only mode which could
be with anything like safety relied upon as one likely to lead really to
a discovery of Sir Francis Varney's motives in making such determined
exertions to get possession of Bannerworth Hall.

That night was doomed to be a very eventful one, indeed; for on it had
Charles Holland been, by a sort of wild impulsive generosity of Sir
Francis Varney, rescued from the miserable dungeon in which he had been
confined, and on that night, too, he, whom we cannot otherwise describe
than as the villain Marchdale, had been, in consequence of the evil that
he himself meditated, and the crime with which he was quite willing to
stain his soul, been condemned to occupy Charles's position.

On that night, too, had the infuriated mob determined upon the
destruction of Bannerworth Hall, and on that night was Mr. Chillingworth
waiting with what patience he could exert, at the Hall, for whatever in
the chapter of accidents might turn up of an advantageous character to
that family in whose welfare and fortunes he felt so friendly and so
deep an interest.

Let us look, then, at the worthy doctor as he keeps his solitary watch.

He did not, as had been the case when the admiral shared the place with
him in the hope of catching Varney on that memorable occasion when he
caught only his boot, sit in a room with a light and the means and
appliances for making the night pass pleasantly away; but, on the
contrary, he abandoned the house altogether, and took up a station in
that summer-house which has been before mentioned as the scene of a
remarkable interview between Flora Bannerworth and Varney the vampyre.

Alone and in the dark, so that he could not be probably seen, he watched
that one window of the chamber where the first appearance of the hideous
vampyre had taken place, and which seemed ever since to be the special
object of his attack.

By remaining from twilight, and getting accustomed to the gradually
increasing darkness of the place, no doubt the doctor was able to see
well enough without the aid of any artificial light whether any one was
in the place besides himself.

"Night after night," he said, "will I watch here until I have succeeded
in unravelling this mystery; for that there is some fearful and undreamt
of mystery at the bottom of all these pro