"It is," he replied; "but hould your tongue now for a little, and as
you're here stop wid me for a while, although I don't see how I'm likely
to come by much knowledge in sich a place as this."

They now approached the Grey Stone, and as they did the moon came out
a little from her dark shrine of clouds, but merely with that dim and
feeble light which was calculated to add ghastliness and horror to the
wildness and desolation of the place.

Sally could now observe that her companion was exceedingly pale and
agitated, his voice, as he spoke, became disturbed and infirm; and as he
laid his hand upon the Grey Stone he immediately withdrew it, and taking
off his hat he blessed himself, and muttered a short prayer with an
earnestness and solemnity for which she could not account. Having
concluded it, both stood in silence for a short time, he awaiting the
promised information--for which on this occasion he appeared likely to
wait in vain;--and she without any particular purpose beyond her natural
curiosity to watch and know the event.

The place at that moment was, indeed, a lonely one, and it was by no
means surprising that, apart from the occurrence of two murders, one on,
and the other near, the spot where they stood, the neighboring peasantry
should feel great reluctance in passing it at night. The light of the
moon was just sufficient to expose the natural wildness of the adjacent
scenery. The glen itself lay in the shadow of the hill, and seemed to
the eye so dark that nothing but the huge outlines of the projecting
crags, whose shapes appeared in the indistinctness like gigantic
spectres, could been seen; while all around, and where the pale light
of! the moon fell, nothing was visible but the muddy gleams of the