Em. overheard the remark and shuddered. She remembered the radiant apparition of the first night and the horrible spectre of the last, and to her the whole of these vast, dark, dreary rooms wore a ghostly aspect. They visited the attic and the back buildings. And then, while the women and girls returned to the hall to prepare dinner, John, old ’Sias, and the boys brought light wood and kindled little fires in all the chimneys to dry the rooms and destroy the must. “And, now,” said Palmer, “we’ll get a bite of dinner and then go into our new home.” “Yes, marster,” replied old ’Sias; “which I hope, sar, you’ll find to yer satisfaction.” CHAPTER IV RED WING A rude dwelling, built by whom or when, None of the ancient mountain people knew. SCOTT. Red Wing was a misnomer, since it was not really a wing, but a separate building, on the northeast corner of the manor-house and much older than the old hall. Tradition said that it had been erected by the Elphines immediately after their arrival at the Wilderness, and had been their dwelling for some years before the more imposing edifice had been raised. Subsequently it had been used as kitchen, scullery, laundry, and servants’ hall and lodging. But since the self-expatriation of the last of the Elphines the Red Wing, like the Old Hall, had been shut up and deserted. Now it was to be opened to accommodate the new overseer and his family. All this was explained to John Palmer by old ’Sias, as he led the way to the house, followed by the whole party. They left the hall by the back door, and passing through the back yard turned to the left, where, nearly hidden by high trees, and immediately under the shadow of the rocky precipice, stood the old Red Wing. ’Sias, going before, opened the door, entered and threw open all the windows to the light and air, and great need there was to do this, for the old Red Wing was pervaded by a heavier fixed air and a deeper dampness and a stronger smell of mould than had hung about the closed manor-house. This building was of two stories, with cellar and attic. There were four rooms on each floor, with a passage running from front to back between them. The rooms were large, with low ceilings, broad, low windows and very wide fireplaces. They were filled up with the oldest fashioned furniture, much of it rickety and worm-eaten—all of it covered with dust and mould. John, old ’Sias and the boys bestirred themselves briskly, brought pine cones, dried brush and other combustibles and quickly built fires in all the chimneys. “Now, Marse John,” said old ’Sias, “as I’ve ’stalled you inter yer new house I’ll be going. It’s mos’ Sereny’s tea time, and I couldn’t stand another scalping.” “Very well, old man, go. You have done quite work enough to-day for one of your age,” said John kindly.