The country around them was alive with ghostly legend.

They had seen the lights dance across Deer Garth Ghyll, and had heard the wail that came from Clark's Loup.

They were not above trembling at the mention of these mysteries when the moon was flying across a darksome sky, when the wind moaned about the house, and they were gathered around the ingle nook.

They had few channels of communication with the great world without.

The pack-horse pedler was their swiftest newsman; the pedler on foot was their weekly budget.