pathway, whose entrance laid under the shadow of two young beech trees: crazy Bet paused—"See ye these, child," said she, pointing to the trees, "I knew two, who grew up thus on the same spot of earth;—so lovingly they grew," and she pointed to the interlacing of the branches—"young and beautiful; but the axe was laid to the root of one—and the other (and she pressed both her hands on her head, and screamed wildly) perished here." A burst of tears afforded her a sadden relief.
"Poor broken-hearted creature!" murmured Jane.
"No, child; when she weeps, then the band is loosened: for" added she, drawing closer to Jane and whispering, "they put an iron band around her head, and when she is in darkness, it presses till she thinks she is in the place of the Tormentor; by the light of the moon it sits lightly. Ye cannot see it; but it is there—always there."
Jane began now to be alarmed at the excitement of Bet's imagination; and turning from her abruptly, entered the path, which, after they had proceeded a few yards, seemed to be leading them into a wild trackless region. "Where are we going Bet?" she exclaimed. "Through a pass, child, that none knows but the wild bird and the wild woman. Have you never heard of the "caves of the mountain?"
"Yes," replied Jane; "but I had rather not go through them to-night. Cannot we go some other way?"
