"'And wherefore did ye escape, knave?' cried the fierce sorcerer; 'why did ye live to remind me of the shame of the house of Soulis?' And, as he spoke, he struck the trembling man again. "He hurried to the haunted dungeon, and again performed his incantations, with impatience in his manner and fury in his looks. Thrice he violently struck the chest, and thrice he exclaimed, impetuously-- "'Spirit! come forth!--arise and speak with me!' "The lid was lifted up, and a deep and angry voice said, 'Mortal! wherefore hast thou summoned me before the time I commanded thee? Was not thy wish granted? Steel shall not wound thee--cords bind thee--hemp hang thee--nor water drown thee. Away!' "'Stay!' exclaimed Soulis--'add, nor fire consume me!' "'Ha! ha!' cried the spirit, in a fit of horrid laughter, that made even the sorcerer tremble. '_Beware of a coming wood!_' And, with a loud clang, the lid of the chest fell, and the noise as of thunder beneath his feet was repeated. "'Beware of a coming wood!' muttered Soulis to himself; 'what means the fiend?' "He hastened from the dungeon without locking the door behind him, and as he hurried from it, he drew the key from his bosom, and flung it over his left shoulder, crying 'Keep it, spirit!' "He shut himself up in his chamber to ponder on the words of his familiar, and on the extirpation of his followers; and he thought not of Marion and her bridegroom until daybreak, when, with a troubled and a wrathful countenance, he entered the apartment where they were fettered. "'How now, fair maiden,' he began; 'hast thou considered well my words?--wilt thou be my willing bride, and let young Branxholm live? or refuse, and look thy fill on his smooth face as his head adorns the point of my good spear?' "'Rather than see her thine,' exclaimed Walter, 'I would thou shouldst hew me in pieces, and fling my mangled body to your hounds.' "'Troth! and 'tis no bad thought,' said the sorcerer; 'thou mayest have thy wish. Yet, boy, ye think that I have no mercy: I will teach thee that I have, and refined mercy too. Now, tell me truly, were I in thy power as thou art in mine, what fate would ye award to Soulis?' "'Then truly,' replied Walter, 'I would hang thee on the highest tree in Branxholm Woods.' "'Well spoken, young Strong-bow,' returned Soulis; 'and I will show thee, though ye think I have no mercy, that I am more merciful than thou.' Ye would choose for me the highest tree, but I shall _give thee the choice of the tree from which you may prefer your body to hang_, and from whose top the owl may sing its midnight song, and to which the ravens shall gather for a feast. And thou, pretty face,' added he, turning to Marion, 'sith you will not, even to save him, give me thine hand, i'faith, if I may not be thy husband, I will be thy priest, and celebrate your marriage, for I will bind your hands together, and ye shall hang on the next branch to him.' "'For that I thank thee,' said the undaunted maiden.