Page:Salem - a tale of the seventeenth century (IA taleseventeenth00derbrich).pdf/227

 pooh! sweetheart; it was nightmare—you were dreaming."

"Yes, William, I know; I had had the nightmare, and I had been dreaming, but not then; I was wide-awake enough at the last."

"Well, well, Goody! you see there is nothing in the chamber now, at any rate; you are satisfied of that, I suppose; you must try to go to sleep, my dear Hannah, or you will have one of your dreadful headaches if you allow yourself to become so much agitated; try to forget it all; it's only a bad dream; we will keep a light burning if you wish, but you will laugh at it all to-morrow—I am sure you will."

Overruled, but not in the least shaken in her own convictions, the mother now insisted upon visiting her children's room to see if they were safe, and nothing but the use of her own motherly eyes would satisfy her. Supported on the strong arm of her husband—for she was really unable to walk alone—she crossed the entry into the room occupied by the children.

"All safe here, you see," whispered the fa