178 AGNES OF HIGH SUNDEKI.AND. 



Thus Edith (for such was her name ) in distress 

 Held the secret >he longed, yet dared not to exjiress. 

 And the two in deep sorrow <ift blended their icai--, 

 And in turn each endeavoured to lij;hten the caii's, 

 Which around them had cluiij;. 



When night spread about them its curtain of gloom. 

 And ihe lamp vainly strove to illumine the room, 

 When the owls fiom without, and the crickets within. 

 Made the heart of the timid beat quick at the din ; — 



And a cold shudder passed 

 1 hrongh each vein, as the' life's blood had throatened to freeze. 

 When the winds have sung dismal wild notes through the tree*, 

 And the long waving branches have tapped on the pane. 

 And the creak has been heard of the old weather vaiie. 



As it swung in the blast. 



Then if time seemed to flag, Edith sat by her side, 

 And told her long tales of the spirits that ride 

 Through the hours of the night, on their missions of ill. 

 And hide from the day in the cliffs of the hill, 



'1 ill her flesh 'gan to ci'eep ; — 

 And she daied not to look where the shadows were thrown 

 Lest some eye of dark omen should stai-tle her own, 

 And the dry leaves that danced in the wind's f'ahuest breath, 

 tjeemcd like whispering sounds, that premonished of death. 



Whilst they scared away sleep. 



And yet such a charm o'er those stories was hung, 

 Tho' with teiTor she shook, or with anguish was wrung, 

 Still she pressed her again and again to recite, 

 1 hcse dark deeds, and visions, till far in the night. 



When she sought her lone bed. 

 Then Edith would roam tlirough each desolate room. 

 Like some spirit which strove to be freed from its doom. 

 And beat her sad bosom, and hands wildly clasp. 

 Whilst her breath came in starts, and a name she would gasp. 



As of one that was dead. 



But momiug would find her with features serene, 



But if in her bosom no tempest had been. 



And each word that she ^poke in soft accents did prove, 



' Twas not friendship that prompted her actions, 'twas love, — 



And once as they sat Agnes fondly besoujiht her 



To tell her this tale of the wanderer's daughter. 



