the old soldier, I'll wager my wooden leg you'll bring him down." William fired, the black speck was seen rapidly descending; and a great vulture fell bleeding to the ground.

"not

"Oh! that's nothing at all," said the soldier, observing the speechless astonishment of his companion, worth speaking of. It's no great matter to learn to cast balls as good as these little more is wanted than some slight matter of skill, and a stout heart: for the work must be done in the night. Meantime here's a few braces of my balls for you," and so saying he limped off. Filled with astonishment William tried a second of the balls, and again he hit an object at an otherwise inaccessible distance: he then charged with his ordinary balls, and missed the broadest and most obvious mark.

On the second trial, he determined to go after the soldier; but he had disappeared in the depths of the forest; all was pleasure when William returned, as formerly, with a load of venison, and gave practical evidence to old Bertram that it was still the same marksman he had shown himself in his noviciate. He should now have told the reason of his late ill-luck, and what course he had taken to remove it; but, without exactly knowing why, he shrank from telling of the inevitable balls, and laid the blame upon a flaw in his gun, which had escaped his notice until the preceding night.

"Now, dame," said the forester, "who's wrong now, dame, I wonder? the witchcraft lay in the gun that wanted trimming; and the little devil, that by your account should have thrown down old father Kuno's picture so early this morning, I'm partly of opinion lies in a cankered nail."

"What's that about a devil?" asked William.

"Nay, nothing but nonsense," replied the old man: "this morning just as the clock was striking seven, the picture fell down of itself; and so my wife will have that all is not right about the house."

"Just as it was striking seven? Ha!" And the old soldier flashed across William's thoughts, who had taken his leave at the identical time.

In a few days William had so familiarised himself to the use of the enchanted balls, that he no longer regardedthem with any misgiving. Every day he roamed about in the forest, hoping to meet the wooden-leg again; for his stock of balls had sunk to a single pair: and the most rigorous parsimony became needful, if he would not put to hazard his final success on the day of trial. One day, therefore, he positively refused attending the old forester a hunting; for, on the next day, the duke's commissioner was expected; and i might so happen that, before the regular probation, he would call for some exhibition of his skill. At night, however, instead of a commissioner came a meśsenger from him to bespeak a very large delivery of game for court, and to countermand the preparations for his own reception until that day sennight.

On the receipt of this news, William was ready to sink to the ground; and his alarm would certainly have raised suspicions, had it not been ascribed to the delay of his marriage. He was now under the necessity of going out to hunt, and of sacrificing, at least, one of his balls. With the other he vowed to himself that he would not part for any purpose on earth, except for the final shot before the commissioner, which was to decide his fate for life.

Bertram scolded, when William came back from the forest with only a single buck: for the quantity of venison ordered was very considerable. Next day he was still more provoked on seeing Rudolph return loaded with game, and William with an empty bag. At night he threatened to dismiss him from his house, and revoke his consent to his marriage with Katharine, unless he brought home, at least, two roedeer on the following morning. Katharine herself was in the greatest distress, and conjured him for love of her to apply his utmost zeal, and not

to think so much about her whilst engaged in hunting.

In a despairing mood William set off for the forest. Kate, in any case, he looked upon as lost; and all that remained for him was a sad alternative between the two modes of losing her, whether by the result of this day's hunting, or of the trial before the commissioner. This was an alternative on which he felt himself incapable of deciding; and he was standing lost in gloomy contemplation of his wretched fate, when all at once a troop of deer advanced close upon him. Mechanically he felt for his last ball; it seemed to weigh a hundred weight in his hand. Already he had resolved to reserve this treasure at any price, when suddenly he saw the old wooden-leg at a distance, and apparently directing his steps towards himself. Joyfully he dropped his ball into the barrel, fired, and two roe-bucks fell to the ground. William left them lying, and hurried after the wooden-leg; but he had wholly disappeared. Father Bertram was well satisfied with William; but not so was William with himself. The whole day long he went about in gloomy despondency; the tenderness and caresses of Kate had no power to restore him to serenity. At night-fall, he was still buried in abstraction; and, seated in a chair, he hardly noticed the lively conversation between the forester and Rudolph, till at length the former awoke him out of his reverie.

"What, William, I say," cried Bertram, "sure you'll never sit by and hearken quietly whilst such scandalous things are said as Rudolph has just been saying of our forefather Kuno. I'll not sit and hear such things said of our Kuno. What, man? Kuno died in his bed quietly, and with a christian's peace, amongst his children and children's children; but the man that tam pers

with the powers of darkness never makes a good end. I know that by what I saw myself at Prague in Bohemia, when I was an apprentice lad."

"Aye, what was that?" cried

Rudolph and the rest: "tell us, dear father."

"What was it? why bad enough," said Bertram," it makes me shudder when I think on it. There was, at that time, a young man in Prague, one George Smith by name, a wild daring sort of fellow. And a very fair hunter he might have proved; but he was too hasty by far, and flung his shots away in a manner. One day, when we had been joking him on this, his pride mounted so high, that nothing would serve him but he must defy all the hunters in a body: he would beat any of them at shooting: and no game should escape him, whether in the air or in the forest. This was his boast: but ill he kept his word. Two days after comes a strange huntsman bolt upon us out of a thicket, and tells us that a little way off, on the main road, a man was lying half dead, and with nobody to look after him. We lads made up to the spot, and there, sure enough, lay poor George, torn and clawed all to pieces, just as if he had fallen amongst wild cats; not a word could he speak, for he was quite senseless, and hardly shewed any signs of life. We carried him to a house: one of us set off with the news to Prague; and thither he was soon fetched. Well, this George Smith, before he died, made confession that he had set about casting devil's balls, with an old upland hunter; devil's balls, you understand never miss; and because he failed in something that he should have done, the devil had handled.him so roughly, that what must pay for it but his precious life?"

"But did George not relate what it was that brought such rough treatment upon him?"

"Aye, sure enough, before the magistrate he confessed all. As it drew towards midnight, it seems he had gone with the old hunter to a cross road: there they made a circle with a bloody sword; and in this circle they laid a skull and bones cross-ways. Then the old man told George what he was to do.

On the stroke of eleven, he was to begin casting the balls, in number sixty and three, neither more nor less; one over or one under, as soon as twelve o'clock struck, he was a lost man. And during all this work, he was not to speak a word, nor to step out of the circle, let what would happen. Sixty of the balls were to carry true, and only three were to miss. Smith began casting the balls; but such shocking and hideous apparitions flocked about him, that at last he shrieked out, and jumped right out of the circle: instantly he fell down senseless to the ground, and never recovered his recollection till he found himself at Prague, in the hands of the surgeon, and with a clergyman by his side.

"God preserve all Christian people from such snares of Satan," said the forester's wife, crossing herself. The forester went to bed, and left William in the most wretched state of agitation. In vain he threw himself on the bed; sound sleep fled from his eyes. The delirium of a heated fancy presented to his eyes by turns, in confused groups, the old wooden-legged soldier, George, Katharine, and the ducal commissioner. Now the unfortunate boy of Prague held up his hand before him, as a bloody memento of warning; and then in a moment his threatening aspect would change into the face of Kate, fainting and pale as death; and near her stood the wooden-leg, his countenance overspread with a fiendish laugh of mockery. At another time he was standing before the commissioner in the act of firing his probationary shot; he levelled, took aim, fired, and-missed. Katharine fainted away, her father rejected him for ever; then came the woodenleg, and presented him with fresh balls; but too late, no second trial was allow ed him.

So passed the night with William. At the earliest dawn he went into the forest, and bent his steps, not altogether without design, to the spot where he had met the old soldier. The fresh

breezy air of the morning had chased away from his mind the gloomy phantoms of the night. "Fool!" said he to himself, "because a mystery is above thy comprehension, must it therefore be from hell? And what is there so much out of the course of nature in that which I am seeking, that supernatural powers need come to help me? Man controls the mighty powers of the brute into obedience to his will; why should he not, by the same natural arts, impress motion and direction upon the course of a bit of lifeless inert metal? Nature teems with operations which we do not comprehend; and am I to trifle away my happiness for a superannuated prejudice? I will call up no spiritual beings, but I will summon and make use of the occult powers of nature, never troubling myself whether I can decypher her mysteries or not. I shall go in quest of the old soldier ; and, if I should not find him, I shall take care to keep up my courage better than that same George of Prague; he was urged on by pride, but I by the voice of love and honour."

In this manner did William discuss his own intentions: but the old soldier was nowhere to be found. Nobody, of whom he enquird, had seen any such man as he had described. The next day was spent in the same search, and with no better success.

"So be it then!" said William internally: "the days that remain for my purpose are numbered. This very night will I go to the cross-road in the forest. It is a lonely spot; nobody will be there to witness my nocturnal labours: and I'll take care not to quit the circle till my work is done." Twilight had set in; and William had provided himself with lead, bullet-mould, coals, and all other requisites, that he might be ready to slip out of the house unobserved immediately after supper. He was just on the point of departing, and had already wished the forester a good night, when the latter stopped him and took his hand.

"William," said he, "I know not what is come to me, but so it is, that this evening I have an awe upon my mind, as if from some danger, God knows what, hanging over me. Oblige me by staying this night with me. Don't look so cast down, my lad: it's only to guard against possibilities."

William was at first disposed to excuse himself: but Kate commended her father so earnestly to his care, that her requests were not to be resisted; and he staid with a good grace, and put off the execution of his plan until the succeeding night.

A second night, and a second resolve, was in like manner broken through by the unexpected arrival of a dear uncle of William's.

The third night came, and now whatever was to be done, must be done, for the next was the day of trial. From morning to night had old Anne, with her daughter Kate, bustled about the house, to make arrangements for the suitable reception of her dignified guest, the commissioner; and at night-fall every thing was ready. Anne embraced William on his return from the forest, and, for the first time, saluted him with the endearing name of son. The eyes of Kate sparkled with the tender emotions of a youthful bride, loving and beloved. The table was decked with festal flowers, and viands more luxurious than usual were brought out by the mother.

"This night," said Bertram, " we will keep the bridal feast: to-morrow we shall not be alone, and cannot, therefore, sit so confidentially and affectionately together; let us be happy then, as happy as if the pleasure of our lives were to be crowded into this one night."

The forester embraced his family, and was deeply moved. "But, Bertram," said his wife, let us be as happy as we will to-night, I've a notion that the young people will be happier to-morrow. Do you know what I mean?"

"Yes, love, I know what you mean;

The

and let the children know it also, that they may enjoy their happiness beforehand. Do you hear, children? vicar is invited to-morrow, and as soon as William has passed his examination

At this moment a rustling noise and a loud cry from Katharine interrupted the forester's speech. Kuno's portrait had again fallen from the wall, and a corner of the frame had wounded Katharine on the temples. The nail appeared to have been fixed too loosely in the wall, for it fell after the picture, and brought away part of the plaster. "What, in God's name, can be the reason," said Bertram with vexation, "that this picture can't be made to hang as it should do? This is now the second time that it has alarmed us.”

William was thrown into dreadful agitation when he beheld the death-pale countenance of Kate, and the blood upon her temples. Just so had she appeared to him on the night of his hideous visions; and all the sad images of that memorable night now rushed upon his mind, and tormented him afresh. The violent shock tended greatly to stagger him in his plans for the night; but the wine, which he drank in large draughts, and more hastily than usual, for the purpose of hiding his anguish, filled him wth a frantic spirit of hardihood: he resolved afresh to make the attempt boldly, and no longer saw any thing in his purpose, but the honourable spectacle of love and courage struggling with danger.

The clock struck nine. William's heart beat violently. He sought for some pretext for withdrawing, but in vain: what pretext could a man find for quitting his young bride on their bridal festival? Time flew faster than an arrow in the arms of love, that should have crowned him with happiness, he suffered the pangs of martyrdom. Ten o'clock was now passed, and the decisive moment was at hand. Without taking leave, William stole from the side of his bride: already he

was outside the house with his implements of labour, when old Anne came after him." Whither away, William, at this time of night?" asked she anxiously." I shot a deer, and forgot it in my hurry," was the answer. In vain she begged him to stay; all her intreaties were flung away, and even the tender caresses of Kate, whose mind misgave her, that some mystery lay buried in his hurry and agitation. William tore himself from them both, and hastened to the forest.

The moon was in the wane, and, at this time was rising, and resting with a dim red orb upon the horizon. Gloomy clouds were flying over head, and at intervals darkened the whole country, which, by fits, the moon again lit up. The silvery birches and the aspen trees rose like apparitions in the forest; and the poplars seemed, to William's fevered vision, pale shadowy forms that beckoned him to retire. He shuddered; and it suddenly struck him, that the almost miraculous disturbance of his scheme on the two preceding nights, together with the repeated and ominous falling of the picture, were the last dissuasion from a wicked enterprise, addressed to him by his better angel that was now ready to forsake him.

Once again he faltered in his purpose. Already he was on the point of returning, when suddenly a voice appeared to whisper to him, "Fool! hast thou not already accepted magical help? is it only for the trouble of reaping it, that thou wouldst forego the main harvest of its gifts?" He stood still. The moon issued in splendour from behind a dark cloud, and illuminated the peaceful roof of the forester's cottage. He could see Katharine's chamber window, glancing under the silvery rays in the blindness of love, he stretched out his arm towards it, and mechanically stepped homewards.Then came a second whisper from the voice; for a sudden gust of wind brought the sound of the clock striking the half hour."Away to business!" it seemed

66

to say. "Right, right!" he said aloud, away to business! It is weak and childish to turn back from a business half accomplished; it is folly to renounce the main advantage, having already perhaps risked one,s salvation for a trifle. No, let me go through with it."

He stepped forwards with long strides: the wind drove the agitated clouds again over the face of the moon, and William plunged into the thickest gloom of the forest.

At length he stood upon the crossway. At length the magic circle was drawn; the skulls were fixed, and the bones were laid round about. The moon buried itself deeper and deeper in the clouds; and no light was shed upon the midnight deed, except from the red lurid gleam of the fire, that waxed and waned by fits, under the gusty squalls of the wind. A remote church-clock proclaimed that it was now within a quarter of eleven. William put the fadle upon the fire, and threw in the lead, together with three bullets, which had already hit the mark once a practice, amongst those who cast the fatal bullets," which he remembered to have heard in his apprenticeship. In the forest was now heard a pattering of rain. At intervals came flitting motions of owls, bats, and other light-shunning creatures, scared by the sudden gleams of the fire: some, dropping from the surrounding boughs, placed themselves on the magic circle, where, by their low dull croaking, they seemed holding dialogues, in some unknown tongue, with the dead men's skulls. Their numbers increased; and, amongst them were indistinct outlines of misty forms, that went and came, some with brutal, some with human faces. Their vapoury lineaments fluctuated and obeyed the motions of the wind one only stood unchanged, and like a shadow near to the circle; and settled the sad light of its eyes stedfastly upon William. Sometimes it would raise its pale hands, and seem to