“But there were seven, John,” she said, when he had concluded—­“how comes that?—­our children were but six.”  And immediately added, as if some fearful conviction had suddenly forced itself on her mind—­“God grant that the seventh light may have meant me!”

“God forbid!” exclaimed her husband, on whose mind a similar conviction with that with which his wife was impressed, now obtruded itself for the first time; that conviction was, that he himself was indicated by the seventh light.  But neither of the sorrowing pair communicated their fears to the other.

Two days subsequent to this, the fair hair of Ian was seen floating on the surface of a deep pool, in the water of Bran; a small river that ran past the house of Morvane.  By what accident the poor boy had fallen into the river, was never ascertained.  But the pool in which his body was found was known to have been one of his favourite fishing stations.  One only of the mysterious lights now remained without its counterpart; but this was not long wanting.  Ere the week had expired, M’Pherson was killed by a fall from his horse, when returning from the funeral of his son, and the symbolical prophecy was fulfilled—­and thus concludes the story of “The Seven Lights.”

XI

THE SPECTRAL COACH OF BLACKADON

    “You have heard of such a spirit, and well you know
    The superstitious, idle-headed eld
    Received and did deliver to our age
    This tale of Herne the Hunter for a truth.”

    Merry Wives of Windsor.

The old vicarage-house at Talland, as seen from the Looe road, its low roof and grey walls peeping prettily from between the dense boughs of ash and elm that environed it, was as picturesque an object as you could desire to see.  The seclusion of its situation was enhanced by the character of the house itself.  It was an odd-looking, old-fashioned building, erected apparently in an age when asceticism and self-denial were more in vogue than at present, with a stern disregard of the comfort of the inhabitant, and in utter contempt of received principles of taste.  As if not secure enough in its retirement, a high wall, enclosing a courtelage in front, effectually protected its inmates from the prying passenger, and only revealed the upper part of the house, with its small Gothic windows, its slated roof, and heavy chimneys partly hidden by the evergreen shrubs which grew in the enclosure.  Such was it until its removal a few years since; and such was it as it lay sweetly in the shadows of an autumnal evening one hundred and thirty years ago, when a stranger in the garb of a country labourer knocked hesitatingly at the wicket gate which conducted to the court.  After a little delay a servant-girl appeared, and finding that the countryman bore a message to the vicar, admitted him within the walls, and conducted him along a paved passage to the little, low, damp