TOMBSTONE TIM. 49 



steep pathway which led to the lone churchyard ; and those 

 who took the trouble to watch him further could always 

 discern the outline of his slight, deformed figure, seated close 

 by the great monument, as that, and every object on the hill's 

 summit, rose clearly defined against the western sky. 



Hours later, the few who passed hurriedly through the 

 ill-reputed cemetery would be sure (whether they knew it or 

 not) to have at least one living companion within its gloomy 

 precincts, in the person of " Tombstone Tim." Some had 

 seen him there by the light of the moon some by the glimmer 

 of the stars and others declared, with a mysterious look, that 

 when all the sky was dark, they had seen him quite as 

 well by the blue glare of the dancing corpse-lights, which were 

 vouched by many to illuminate, after a certain hour, the 

 monument of the murdered and the murderess. 



As stories such as these mixed up, in strange association, 

 our poor young Knight of the Shears with the supernatural 

 terrors and legendary crimes connected with his departed name- 

 sake, the Knight of the Spurs, he got looked on by the simple 

 villagers with more than ever of suspicious repugnance. No 

 one could deny that he held communion with the dead ; not 

 alone his habits, but his very looks bespoke it. Since the old 

 sexton died, his face had been growing paler his large eyes 

 more sunken his thin hand more transparent his husky 

 cough (a churchyard cough in verity) more hollow. All 

 shrunk from his presence : the young, because he was so 



