always accompanied the march of a Saxon army, and served to strengthen
its encampment. But when they came in sight of the hillock by which
the great body of the army had preceded them, the King and the son of
Sweyn dismounted and on foot entered the large circle of the Celtic
ruin.

By the side of the Teuton altar they beheld two forms, both perfectly
motionless: but one was extended on the ground as in sleep or in
death; the other sate beside it, as if watching the corpse, or
guarding the slumber. The face of the last was not visible, propped
upon the arms which rested on the knees, and bidden by the hands. But
in the face of the other, as the two men drew near, they recognised
the Danish Prophetess. Death in its dreadest characters was written
on that ghastly face; woe and terror, beyond all words to describe,
spoke in the haggard brow, the distorted lips, and the wild glazed
stare of the open eyes. At the startled cry of the intruders on that
dreary silence, the living form moved; and though still leaning its
face on its hands, it raised its head; and never countenance of
Northern Vampire, cowering by the rifled grave, was more fiendlike and
appalling.

"Who and what art thou?" said the King; "and how, thus unhonored in
the air of heaven, lies the corpse of the noble Hilda? Is this the
hand of Nature? Haco, Haco, so look the eyes, so set the features, of
those whom the horror of ruthless murder slays even before the steel
strikes. Speak, hag, art thou dumb?"

"Search the body," answered the witch, "there is no wound! Look to
the throat,--no mark of the deadly gripe! I have seen such in my
day.--There are none on this corpse, I trow; yet thou sayest rightly,