te for more, and nothing short of his blood can satisfy it."

The sounds increased, and the noise came nearer and nearer, and it
appeared as though a number of men had collected together and were
coming towards him. Yes, they were coming down the lane towards the
deserted mansion where he was.

For once in his life, Sir Francis Varney trembled; he felt sick at
heart, though no man was less likely to give up hope and to despair than
he; yet this sign of unrelenting hatred and persecution was too
unequivocal and too stern not to produce its effect upon even his mind;
for he had no doubt but that they were coming with the express purpose
of seeking him.

How they could have found him out was a matter he could not imagine. The
Bannerworths could not have betrayed him--he was sure of that; and yet
who could have seen him, so cautious and so careful as he had been, and
so very sparing had he lived, because he would not give the slightest
cause for all that was about to follow. He hoped to have hidden himself;
but now he could hear the tramp of men distinctly, and their voices came
now on the night air, though it was in a subdued tone, as if they were
desirous of approaching unheard and unseen by their victim.

Sir Francis Varney stirred not from his position. He remained silent and
motionless. He appeared not to heed what was going on; perhaps he hoped
to see them go by--to be upon some false scent; or, if they saw no signs
of life, they might leave the place, and go elsewhere.

Hark! they stop at the house--they go not by; they seem to pause, and
then a thundering knock came at the door, which echoed and re-echoed
through the empty and deserted house, on the top of which sat, in silent
expectation, the almost motionless Sir Francis Varney, the redoubted
vampyre.

The knock which came so loud and so hard upon the door caused Sir

Francis to start visibly, for it seemed his own knell. Then, as if the
mob were satisfied with their knowledge of his presence, and of their
victory, and of his inability to escape them, they sent up a loud shout
that filled the whole neighbourhood with its sound.

It seemed to come from below and around the house; it rose from all
sides, and that told Sir Francis Varney that the house was surrounded
and all escape was cut off; there was no chance of his being able to
rush through such a multitude of men as that which now encircled him.

With the calmest despair, Sir Francis Varney lay still