〃I　had！　　It　was　hersthe　last　thing　I　had　of　hersand　it　was　shot　for　wantonness！　　It　died　in　my　arms。　　The　man　who　killed　that　dog　rues　it　to　this　day。　　For　that　dumb　beast's　blood；　his　best…beloved　stands　accursed。〃
  Her　eyes　distended；　as　if　she　were　in　a　trance　and　saw　the　working　of　her　curse。　　Again　I　spoke：…
  〃O；　woman！〃　I　said；　〃that　best…beloved；　standing　accursed　before　men；　is　your　dead　daughter's　child。〃
  The　life；　the　energy；　the　passion；　came　back　to　the　eyes　with　which　she　pierced　through　me；　to　see　if　I　spoke　truth；　then；　without　another　question　or　word；　she　threw　herself　on　the　ground　with　fearful　vehemence；　and　clutched　at　the　innocent　daisies　with　convulsed　hands。
  〃Bone　of　my　bone！　flesh　of　my　flesh！　have　I　cursed　theeand　art　thou　accursed？〃
  So　she　moaned；　as　she　lay　prostrate　in　her　great　agony。　　I　stood　aghast　at　my　own　work。　　She　did　not　hear　my　broken　sentences；　she　asked　no　more；　but　the　dumb　confirmation　which　my　sad　looks　had　given　that　one　fact；　that　her　curse　rested　on　her　own　daughter's　child。　The　fear　grew　on　me　lest　she　should　die　in　her　strife　of　body　and　soul；　and　then　might　not　Lucy　remain　under　the　spell　as　long　as　she　lived？
  Even　at　this　moment；　I　saw　Lucy　coming　through　the　woodland　path　that　led　to　Bridget's　cottage；　Mistress　Clarke　was　with　her：　　I　felt　at　my　heart　that　it　was　she；　by　the　balmy　peace　which　the　look　of　her　sent　over　me；　as　she　slowly　advanced；　a　glad　surprise　shining　out　of　her　soft　quiet　eyes。　　That　was　as　her　gaze　met　mine。　　As　her　looks　fell　on　the　woman　lying　stiff；　convulsed　on　the　earth；　they　became　full　of　tender　pity；　and　she　came　forward　to　try　and　lift　her　up。　　Seating　herself　on　the　turf；　she　took　Bridget's　head　into　her　lap；　and；　with　gentle　touches；　she　arranged　the　dishevelled　gray　hair　streaming　thick　and　wild　from　beneath　her　mutch。
  〃God　help　her！〃　murmured　Lucy。　　〃How　she　suffers！〃
  At　her　desire　we　sought　for　water；　but　when　we　returned；　Bridget　had　recovered　her　wandering　senses；　and　was　kneeling　with　clasped　hands　before　Lucy；　gazing　at　that　sweet　sad　face　as　though　her　troubled　nature　drank　in　health　and　peace　from　every　moment's　contemplation。　A　faint　tinge　on　Lucy's　pale　cheeks　showed　me　that　she　was　aware　of　our　return；　otherwise　it　appeared　as　if　she　was　conscious　of　her　influence　for　good　over　the　passionate　and　troubled　woman　kneeling　before　her；　and　would　not　willingly　avert　her　grave　and　loving　eyes　from　that　wrinkled　and　careworn　countenance。
  Suddenlyin　the　twinkling　of　an　eyethe　creature　appeared；　there；　behind　Lucy；　fearfully　the　same　as　to　outward　semblance；　but　kneeling　exactly　as　Bridget　knelt；　and　clasping　her　hands　in　jesting　mimicry　as　Bridget　clasped　hers　in　her　ecstasy　that　was　deepening　into　a　prayer。　　Mistress　Clarke　cried　outBridget　arose　slowly；　her　gaze　fixed　on　the　creature　beyond：　　drawing　her　breath　with　a　hissing　sound；　never　moving　her　terrible　eyes；　that　were　steady　as　stone；　she　made　a　dart　at　the　phantom；　and　caught；　as　I　had　done；　a　mere　handful　of　empty　air。　　We　saw　no　more　of　the　creatureit　vanished　as　suddenly　as　it　came；　but　Bridget　looked　slowly　on；　as　if　watching　some　receding　form。　　Lucy　sat　still；　white；　trembling；　droopingI　think　she　would　have　swooned　if　I　had　not　been　there　to　uphold　her。　While　I　was　attending　to　her；　Bridget　passed　us；　without　a　word　to　any　one；　and；　entering　her　cottage；　she　barred　herself　in；　and　left　us　without。
  All　our　endeavours　were　now　directed　to　get　Lucy　back　to　the　house　where　she　had　tarried　the　night　before。　　Mistress　Clarke　told　me　that；　not　hearing　from　me　（some　letter　must　have　miscarried）；　she　had　grown　impatient　and　despairing；　and　had　urged　Lucy　to　the　enterprise　of　coming　to　seek　her　grandmother；　not　telling　her；　indeed；　of　the　dread　reputation　she　possessed；　or　how　we　suspected　her　of　having　so　fearfully　blighted　that　innocent　girl；　but；　at　the　same　time；　hoping　much　from　the　mysterious　stirring　of　blood；　which　Mistress　Clarke　trusted　in　for　the　removal　of　the　curse。　　They　had　come；　by　a　different　route　from　that　which　I　had　taken；　to　a　village　inn　not　far　from　Coldholme；　only　the　night　before。　　This　was　the　first　interview　between　ancestress　and　descendant。
  All　through　the　sultry　noon　I　wandered　along　the　tangled　brush…wood　of　the　old　neglected　forest；　thinking　where　to　turn　for　remedy　in　a　matter　so　complicated　and　mysterious。　　Meeting　a　countryman；　I　asked　my　way　to　the　nearest　clergyman；　and　went；　hoping　to　obtain　some　counsel　from　him。　　But　he　proved　to　be　a　coarse　and　common…minded　man；　giving　no　time　or　attention　to　the　intricacies　of　a　case；　but　dashing　out　a　strong　opinion　involving　immediate　action。　　For　instance；　as　soon　as　I　named　Bridget　Fitzgerald；　he　exclaimed：…
  〃The　Coldholme　witch！　the　Irish　papist！　　I'd　have　had　her　ducked　long　since　but　for　that　other　papist；　Sir　Philip　Tempest。　　He　has　had　to　threaten　honest　folk　about　here　over　and　over　again；　or　they'd　have　had　her　up　before　the　justices　for　her　black　doings。　　And　it's　the　law　of　the　land　that　witches　should　be　burnt！　　Ay；　and　of　Scripture；　too；　sir！　　Yet　you　see　a　papist；　if　he's　a　rich　squire；　can　overrule　both　law　and　Scripture。　　I'd　carry　a　faggot　myself　to　rid　the　country　of　her！〃
  Such　a　one　could　give　me　no　help。　　I　rather　drew　back　what　I　had　already　said；　and　tried　to　make　the　parson　forget　it；　by　treating　him　to　several　pots　of　beer；　in　the　village　inn；　to　which　we　had　adjourned　for　our　conference　at　his　suggestion。　　I　left　him　as　soon　as　I　could；　and　returned　to　Coldholme；　shaping　my　way　past　deserted　Starkey　Manor…house；　and　coming　upon　it　by　the　back。　　At　that　side　were　the　oblong　remains　of　the　old　moat；　the　waters　of　which　lay　placid　and　motionless　under　the　crimson　rays　of　the　setting　sun；　with　the　forest…trees　lying　straight　along　each　side；　and　their　deep…green　foliage　mirrored　to　blackness　in　the　burnished　surface　of　the　moat　belowand　the　broken　sun…dial　at　the　end　nearest　the　halland　the　heron；　standing　on　one　leg　at　the　water's　edge；　lazily　looking　down　for　fishthe　lonely　and　desolate　house　scarce　needed　the　broken　windows；　the　weeds　on　the　door…sill；　the　broken　shutter　softly　flapping　to　and　fro　in　the　twilight　breeze；　to　fill　up　the　picture　of　desertion　and　decay。　　I　lingered　about　the　place　until　the　growing　darkness　warned　me　on。　　And　then　I　passed　along　the　path；　cut　by　the　orders　of　the　last　lady　of　Starkey　Manor…House；　that　led　me　to　Bridget's　cottage。　　I　resolved　at　once　to　see　her；　and；　in　spite　of　closed　doorsit　might　be　of　resolved　willshe　should　see　me。　　So　I　knocked　at　her　door；　gently；　loudly；　fiercely。　　I　shook　it　so　vehemently　that　a　length　the　old　hinges　gave　way；　and　with　a　crash　it　fell　inwards；　leaving　me　suddenly　face　to　face　with　BridgetI；　red；　heated；　agitated　with　my　so　long　baffled　effortsshe；　stiff　as　any　stone；　standing　right　facing　me；　her　eyes　dilated　with　terror；　her　ashen　lips　trembling；　but　her　body　motionless。　　In　her　hands　she　held　her　crucifix；　as　if　by　that　holy　symbol　she　sought　to　oppose　my　entrance。　　At　sight　of　me；　her　whole　frame　relaxed；　and　she　sank　back　upon　a　chair。　　Some　mighty　tension　had　given　way。　　Still　her　eyes　looked　fearfully　into　the　gloom　of　the　outer　air；　made　more　opaque　by　the　glimmer　of　the　lamp　inside；　which　she　had　placed　before　the　picture　of　the　Virgin。
  〃Is　she　there？〃　asked　Bridget；　hoarsely。
  〃No！　　Who？　　I　am　alone。　　You　remember　me。〃
  〃Yes；〃　replied　she；　still　terror　stricken。　　〃But　shethat　creature　has　been　looking　in　upon　me　through　that　window　all　day　long。　　I　closed　it　up　with　my　shawl；　and　then　I　saw　her　feet　below　the　door；　as　long　as　it　was　light；　and　I　knew　she　heard　my　very　breathingnay；　worse；　my　very　prayers；　and　I　could　not　pray；　for　her　listening　choked　the　words　ere　they　rose　to　my　lips。　　Tell　me；　who　is　she？　what　means　that　double　girl　I　saw　this　morning？　　One　had　a　look　of　my　dead　Mary；　but　the　other　curdled　my　blood；　and　yet　it　was　the　same！〃
  She　had　taken　hold　of　my　arm；　as　if　to　secure　herself　some　human　companionship。　　She　shook　all　over　with　the　slight；　never…ceasing　tremor　of　intense　terror。　　I　told　her　my　tale　as　I　have　told　it　you；　sparing　none　of　the　details。
  How　Mistress　Clarke　had　informed　me　that　the　resemblance　had　driven　Lucy　forth　from　her　father's　househow　I　had　disbelieved；　until；　with　mine　own　eyes；　I　had　seen　another　Lucy　standing　behind　my　Lucy；　the　same　in　form　and　feature；　but　with　the　demon…soul　looking　out　of　the　eyes。　　I　told　her　all；　I　say；　believing　that　shewhose　curse　was　working　so　upon　the　life　of　her　innocent　grandchildwas　the　only　person　who　could　find　the　remedy　and　the　redemption。　　When　I　had　done；　she　sat　silent　for　many　minutes。
  〃You　love　Mary's　child？〃　she　asked。
  〃I　do；　in　spite　of　the　fearful　working　of　the　curseI　love　her。　　Yet　I　shrink　from　her　ever　since　that　day　on　the　moor…side。　　And　men　must　shrink　from　one　so　accompanied；　friends　and　lovers　must　stand　afar　off。　　Oh；　Bridget　Fitzgerald！　loosen　the　curse！　　Set　her　free！〃
  〃Where　is　she？〃
  I　eagerly　caught　at　the　idea　that　her　presence　was　needed；　in　order　that；　by　some　strange　prayer　or　exorcism；　the　spell　might　be　reversed。
  〃I　will　go　and　bring　her　to　you；〃　I　exclaimed。　　Bridget　tightened　her　hold　upon　my　arm。
  〃Not　so；〃　said　she；　in　a　low；　hoarse　voice。