into the centre of the river, and down the
stream he went. He took long, but easy strokes, for he was going down
the stream, and that aided him.

For some distance might he be heard and seen through the openings in the
trees, but he became gradually more and more indistinct, till sound and
sight both ceased, and the vampyre had disappeared.

During the continuance of this singular scene, not one word had passed
between the landlord and his companions. When the blacksmith fired the
fowling-piece, and saw the stranger fall, apparently lifeless, upon the
stepping-stones that crossed the river, he became terrified it what he
had done, and gazed upon the seeming lifeless form with a face on which
the utmost horror was depicted.

They all seemed transfixed to the spot, and although each would have
given worlds to move away, a kind of nightmare seemed to possess them,
which stunned all their faculties, and brought over them a torpidity
from which they found it impossible to arouse themselves.

But, when the apparently dead man moved again, and when, finally, the
body, which appeared so destitute of life, rolled into the stream, and
floated away with the tide, their fright might be considered to have
reached its climax. The absence of the body, however, had seemingly, at
all events, the effect of releasing them from the mental and physical
thraldom in which they were, and they were enabled to move from the
spot, which they did immediately, making their way towards the town with
great speed.

As they got near, they held a sort of council of war as to what they
should do under the circumstances, the result of which was, that they
came to a conclusion to keep all that they had done and seen to
themselves; for, if they did not, they might be called upon for some
very troublesome explanations concerning the fate of the supposed
Hungarian nobleman whom they had taken upon themselves to believe was a
vampyre, and to shoot accordingly, without taking the trouble to inquire
into the legality of such an act.

How such a secret was likely to be kept, when it was shared amongst
seven people, it is hard to say; but, if it were so kept, it could only
be under the pressure of a strong feeling of self-preservation.

They were forced individually, of course, to account for their absence
during the night at their respective homes, and how they managed to do
that is best known to themselves.

As to the landlord, he felt compelled to sta