The Headless Woman

It was near upon twelve when Gabriel Fisher bade good night to the
assembled roysterers who were singing and shouting in the kitchen of
the White Bull, at Longridge, and, turning his back to the cosy
hearth, upon which a huge log was burning, emerged into the moonlit
road. With his dog Trotty close at his heels, he struck out manfully
towards Tootal Height and Thornley, for he had a long and lonely walk
before him. It was a clear and frosty night, but occasionally a light
cloud sailed across the heavens, and obscured the moon. Rapidly
passing between the two rows of cottages which constituted the little
straggling village, his footsteps ringing upon the frozen ground,
Gabriel made for the fells, and, as he hurried along, he hummed to
himself a line of the last song he had heard, and now and again burst
into a fit of laughter as he remembered a humorous story told by 'Owd
Shuffler.' When he reached the highest point of the road whence he
could see the beautiful Chipping valley, a soft breeze was whispering
among the fir-trees, with that faint rustle suggestive of the gentle
fall of waves upon a beach. Here and there a little white farm-house
or labourer's cottage was gleaming in the moonlight, but the inmates
had been asleep for hours. There was an air of loneliness and mystery
over everything; and though Gabriel would have scorned to admit that
he was afraid of anything living or dead, before he had passed out of
the shadow of the weird-looking melodious branches he found himself
wishing for other company than that of his dog. He suddenly
remembered, too, with no access of pleasurable feelings, that on the
previous day he had seen a solitary magpie, and all sorts of stories
of 'Banister Dolls' and 'Jinny Greenteeths,' with which his youthful
soul had been carefully harrowed, came across his mind. He tried to
laugh at these recollections, but the attempt was by no means a
successful one, and he gave expression to a hearty wish that Kemple
End were not quite so far off.

Just then a sharp shrill cry fell upon his ear, and then another and
another. 'Th' Gabriel Ratchets,'{33} he shouted, 'what's abaat to
happen?' The cries were not repeated, however, and he went on, but
when he reached the peak of the fell, and gazed before him into the
deep shade of a plantation, he could not repress a slight shudder, for
he fancied that he saw something moving at a distance. He paused for a
moment or two to assure himself, and then went on again slowly, his
heart throbbing violently as he lessened the space between the moving
object and himself. The dog, as though equally influenced by similar
feelings, crept behind him in a suspicious and terrified manner.

'It's nobbut a woman,' said he, somewhat re-assured; 'it's a woman
sewerly. Mebbee someburry's badly, an' hoo's gooin' for help. Come on,
Trotty, mon.'

So saying, he quickened his pace, the dog hanging behind, until he
approached almost close to the figure, when, with a wild howl, away
Trotty fled down the hillside. As Gabriel drew still closer, he saw
that the object wore a long light cloak and hood, and a large
coal-scuttle bonnet; and surprised to find that the sound of his
footsteps did not cause her to turn to see who was following, he
called out:

'It's a bonny neet, Missis; bud yo're aat rayther late, arn't yo'?'

'It is very fine,' answered the woman, in a voice which Gabriel
thought was the sweetest he had ever heard, but without turning
towards him as she spoke.

'Summat wrong at your fowk's, happen?' he asked, anxious to prolong
the talk. There was no reply to this, though, and Gabriel knew not
what to think, for the silent dame, although she declined to reply,
continued to keep pace with him, and to walk at his side. Was it some
one who had no business to be out at that hour, and who did not wish
to be recognised, he wondered? But if so, thought he, why did she
continue to march in a line with him? The voice, certainly, was that
of one of a different rank to his own; but, on the other hand, he
reflected, if she were one of the gentle folks, why the cottager's
cloak and bonnet, and the huge market basket? These conjectures
crossed his brain in rapid succession; and influenced by the last
one--that as to his companion's clothing--he determined again to
address her.

'Yo' met a left yir tung at whoam, Missis,' said he, 'sin' yo' connot
answer a civil mon.'

This taunt, however, like the direct query, failed to provoke an
answer, although the startled Gabriel could have sworn that a
smothered laugh came from beneath the white cloth which covered the
contents of the basket 'Let me carry yer baskit,' said he; 'it's heavy
for yo'.'

Without a word, the woman held it out to him; but, as Gabriel grasped
the handle, a voice, which sounded as though the mouth of the speaker
were close to his hand, slowly said:

'You're very kind, I'm sure;' and then there came from the same
quarter a silvery peal of laughter.

'What i' th' warld can it be?' said Gabriel, as without more ado he
let the basket fall to the ground. He did not remain in ignorance very
long, however, for, as the white cloth slipped off, a human head, with
fixed eyes, rolled out 'Th' yedless boggart!' cried he, as the figure
turned to pick up the head, and revealed to him an empty bonnet, and
away he fled down the hill, fear lending him speed. He had not run
far, however, before he heard a clatter of feet on the hard road
behind him; but Gabriel was one of the fleetest lads about the fells,
and the sight he had just seen was calculated to bring out all his
powers; so the sound did not grow louder, but just as he turned into
the old Chaighley Road, the head, thrown by the boggart, came whizzing
past in unpleasant proximity to his own, and went rolling along in
front of him. For a second or two Gabriel hesitated what to do, the
headless woman behind and the equally terrible head in front; but it
did not take long to decide, and he went forward with renewed vigour,
thinking to pass the dreadful thing rapidly rolling along in advance
of him. No sooner was he near to it, however, than, with an impish
laugh, which rang in his ears for days afterwards, the ghastly object
diverged from its course and rolled in his way. With a sudden and
instinctive bound, he leaped over it; and as he did so the head jumped
from the ground and snapped at his feet, the teeth striking together
with a dreadfully suggestive clash. Gabriel was too quick for it,
however, but for some distance he heard with horrible distinctness the
clattering of the woman's feet and the banging of the head upon the
road behind him.

Gradually the sounds grew fainter as he speeded along, and at length,
after he had crossed a little stream of water which trickled across
the lane from a fern-covered spring in the fell side, the sounds
ceased altogether. The runner, however, did not pause to take breath
until he had reached his home and had crept beneath the blankets, the
trembling Trotty, whom he found crouched in terror at the door of the
cottage, skulking upstairs at his heels and taking refuge under the
bed.

'I olus said as tha'd be seein' a feeorin wi' thi stoppin' aat o'
neets,' remarked his spouse after he had narrated his adventure; 'bud
if it nobbut meks tha fain o' thi own haath-stooan I'se be some glad
on it, for it's moor nor a woman wi' a heead on her shoothers hes bin
able to do.'{20}