Looking down this path toward the black wood during one of the longest continued illuminations of the lightning, they saw for an instant a dark, tall figure, apparently advancing towards them.

Then all the prospect was wrapped again in tenfold gloom.
Mrs.Buckley uttered an exclamation, and held tighter to her husband's arm.

Every time the garden was lit up, they saw the figure, nearer and nearer, till they knew that it was standing before them in the darkness; the Major was about to speak, when a hoarse voice, heard indistinctly above the rushing of the rain, demanded: "Is that Major Buckley ?" At the same minute the storm-light blazed up once more, and fell upon an object so fearful and startling that they both fell back amazed.

A woman was standing before them, tall, upright, and bareheaded; her long black hair falling over a face as white and ghastly as a three days' corpse; her wild countenance rendered more terrible by the blue glare of the lightning shining on the rain that streamed from every lock of her hair and every shred of her garments.

She looked like some wild daughter of the storm, who had lost her way, and came wandering to them for shelter.
"I am Major Buckley," was the answer.