when, suddenly, one of the town clocks slowly and solemnly struck seven.
He counted the strokes, and then jumped down, apparently surprised and
relieved.

He seated himself on the tombstone, like one who is prepared to
wait some considerable time. And for about half an hour he remained
motionless and deep in thought, apparently quite unconscious of the
cold, while his eyes gazed fixedly at a mass of shadow. He had placed
himself in a dark corner, but the beams of the rising moon had gradually
reached him, and at last his head was in the full light.

He was a strong, sturdy-looking lad, with a fine mouth, and soft
delicate skin that bespoke youthfulness. He looked about seventeen years
of age, and was handsome in a characteristic way.

His thin, long face looked like the work of some master sculptor; his
high forehead, overhanging brows, aquiline nose, broad flat chin, and
protruding cheek bones, gave singularly bold relief to his countenance.
Such a face would, with advancing age, become too bony, as fleshless as
that of a knight errant. But at this stage of youth, with chin and cheek
lightly covered with soft down, its latent harshness was attenuated by
the charming softness of certain contours which had remained vague and
childlike. His soft black eyes, still full of youth, also lent delicacy
to his otherwise vigorous countenance. The young fellow would probably
not have fascinated all women, as he was not what one calls a handsome
man; but his features, as a whole, expressed such ardent and sympathetic
life, such enthusiasm and energy, that they doubtless engaged the
thoughts of the girls of his own part--those sunburnt girls of the
South--as he passed their doors on sultry July evenings.