eave this corner, and go to the fire and warm
ourselves.'

"We did so, and remained there until near midnight, every minute
wondering, as it grew later, why our father did not return. We had no
idea that he was in any danger, but we thought that he must have chased
the wolf for a very long time. `I will look out and see if father is
coming,' said my brother Caesar, going to the door. `Take care,' said
Marcella, `the wolves must be about now, and we cannot kill them,
brother.' My brother opened the door very cautiously, and but a few
inches: he peeped out.--`I see nothing,' said he, after a time, and once
more he joined us at the fire. `We have had no supper,' said I, for my
father usually cooked the meat as soon as he came home; and during his
absence we had nothing but the fragments of the preceding day.

"`And if our father comes home after his hunt, Caesar,' said Marcella,
`he will be pleased to have some supper; let us cook it for him and for
ourselves.' Caesar climbed upon the stool, and reached down some meat--
I forget now whether it was venison or bear's meat; but we cut off the
usual quantity, and proceeded to dress it, as we used to do under our
father's superintendence. We were all busy putting it into the platters
before the fire, to await his coming, when we heard the sound of a horn.
We listened--there was a noise outside, and a minute afterwards my
father entered, ushering in a young female, and a large dark man in a
hunter's dress.

"Perhaps I had better now relate what was only known to me many years
afterwards. When my father had left the cottage, he perceived a large
white wolf about thirty yards from him; as soon as the animal saw my
father, it retreated slowly growling and snarling. My father followed;
the animal did not run, but always kept at some distance; and my father
did not like to fire until he was pretty certain that his ball would
take effect; thus they went on for some time, the wolf now leaving my
father far behind, and then stopping and snarling defiance at him, and
then, again, on his approach, setting off at speed.

"Anxious to shoot the animal (for the white wolf is very rare) my father
continued the pursuit for several hours, during which he continually
ascended the mountain.

"You must know, Philip, that there are peculiar spots on those mountains
which are supposed, and, as my story will prove, truly supposed, to be
inhabited by the evil influences: they are well kno