The Beacon Fire.

Thus it was that Leofwine the True saved his country from an incursion of the Danes in the year 874 , and his spirit still haunts the Beacon when any danger menaces the land . As Osyth concluded the legend a murmur of approbation ran through the assembled of soldiers ; hut Aclhelmthough he had listened with interest

group , to the tale of the young Saxon ' s valour , was still unconvinced , and laughed incredulously at the idea of a ghost . Osyth appeared displeased . " Take heed , young man ! " said he , gravely ; " If thou hadst seen what I saw on this same night , fifty years ago , thou hadst not laughed thus lightly . " " When I see it with mine own eyesI will believe itbut not until then ;

, , yet why turn so pale , old man ?—art shocked at mine unbelief ? " The latter part of this speech was addressed to Osyth , who , pule as death , seemed as if his eyes were rivetted on something in the open doorway . " The saints guard us ! " he exclaimed at last , with a deep sigh of relief . It is gone ! " " What is gone ? " inquired the soldiers in alarm .

" A pale figure , that beckoned—comrades , something is about to befall our land—it was the shade of Leofwine ! " said Osyth , solemnly . " Methought I saw something white , " muttered one , crossing himself , with a shudder . "Why should we fear the spirit of a brave warrior like ourselves ? " exclaimed Osyth . " Let us to the battlements at onceand see if the

warning-, shade appeareth ; midnight draweth on apace . " So saying , the minstrel rose , followed by most of the soldiers , who were ashamed to linger behind when an old man led the way . Adhelm laughingly whispered to Sidroc "that , for his part he believed the ghost lived only in the brain of Osyth ; " but his comrade shook his head , aud bid him he silent .

They emerged upon the ramparts of the Castle ; the moon was shining clear and bright in a cloudless sky , the stars twinkling ancl glittering like gems in the frosty air , and the ground was white with snow . All was silence ; only the far distant splash of the waves broke the stillness of the winter night , and nothing unusual was to be seen . " 'Tis passing cold here , " said Aclhelm . " I see nought extraordinary . I shall descend again ; this ghost of Osyth ' s is but a myth of Pagan days . " But

as he turned to go , Sidroc seized his arm , and a simultaneous cry arose from those assembled . " See ! it conies— 'tis the hour of midnight , " said the minstrel in an awestruck voice . Adhelm paused , and gazed in the direction indicated b y the old man ' s outstretched finger . Froni one of the towers of the Castle there issued forth a

shadowy figure ; the postern-door was closed , yet the strange phantom seemed to pass through it with ease , and emerging from the shadow of the wall , pursued its way in the clear moonlight towards the Beacon-tower . In hushed and breathless silence the group on the battlements watched its progress . The figure was , as Osyth had described it in his tale , that of a Saxon youth , tall and slightly made , ancl wearing the light brass armour and head-piece of the

days of King Alfred ; over one shoulder it bore a bri ght two-headed battleaxe , and from the other hung a short mantle . It had long , pale yellow hair , that fell over its neck ancl shoulders , ancl as it turned its head for an instant towards the Castle , they could see that the face was fair ancl handsome , although a strange , supernatural , statue-like expression seemed to be graven on every feature ; its mien was noble and free . It reached the tower , Vanished for a moment , and then reappeared on the summit . A brig ht unearthly light seemed to blaze for a time upon the Beacon- —a blue , flickering