rtyard he had perceived
was a supernatural thing.

"But if I needed a canine companion I had one, for by day or night this
invisible dog never left me. When I slept he lay on the floor by the
side of my bed; if I put down my hand I could always feel his head, and
often he would stand up and press his nose against me, as if to assure
me that he was there. This strange companionship continued for several
days, and I became really attached to the invisible animal. His constant
companionship seemed to indicate that he had come to guard me, and that
he was determined to do it thoroughly. I felt so much confidence in his
protection, although I knew not how it could be exerted, that one
morning I decided to take a walk, and with my hand on the head of the
dog, to make sure that he was with me, I strolled into the open country.

"I had walked about a mile, and was approaching a group of large trees,
when suddenly from behind one of them the tall figure of a man appeared.
In an instant I knew it to be Colonel Kaldhein; his was a face which
could not easily be forgotten. Without a word he raised a pistol which
he held in his hand and fired at me. The ball whistled over my head.

"I stopped short, startled, and frightened almost out of my senses. I
was unarmed, and had no place of refuge. It was plain that the man was
determined to kill me.

"Quickly recocking his pistol, Kaldhein raised it again. I involuntarily
shrank back, expecting death; but before he could fire his arm suddenly
dropped, and the pistol was discharged into the ground. Then began a
strange scene. The man shouted, kicked, and beat up and down with his
arms; his pistol fell from his hand, he sprang from side to side, he
turned around, he struggled and yelled.

"I stood astounded. For an instant I supposed the man had been overtaken
by some sort of fit; but in a flash the truth came to me,--Kaldhein was
being attacked by my protector, the invisible dog.

"Horrified by this conviction, my first impulse was to save the man;
and, without knowing what I was going to do, I stepped quickly toward
him, but stumbling over something I did not see I fell sprawling. Before
I could regain my feet I saw Kaldhein fall backward to the ground, where
a scene took place, so terrible that I shall not attempt to describe it.
When, with trembling steps, I approached, the man was dead. The
invisible dog had almost torn him to pieces.

"I could do nothing. I did not remain upon t