t something
about "that which 'appened once to a gentleman that lived hupstairs,"
when a shrill voice calling her name sounded below.

"Emily, Emily!" It was the returning landlady, and the girl tumbled
downstairs as if pulled backward by a rope, leaving me full of
conjectures as to what in the world could have happened to a gentleman
_upstairs_ that could in so curious a manner affect my ears
_downstairs_.

* * * * *

Nov. 10.--I have done capital work; have finished the ponderous article
and had it accepted for the _---- Review_, and another one ordered. I
feel well and cheerful, and have had regular exercise and good sleep; no
headaches, no nerves, no liver! Those pills the chemist recommended are
wonderful. Even the gray-faced landlady rouses pity in me; I am sorry
for her: so worn, so weary, so oddly put together, just like the
building. She looks as if she had once suffered some shock of terror,
and was momentarily dreading another. When I spoke to her to-day very
gently about not putting the pens in the ash-tray and the gloves on the
book-shelf she raised her faint eyes to mine for the first time, and
said with the ghost of a smile, "I'll try and remember, sir," I felt
inclined to pat her on the back and say, "Come, cheer up and be jolly.
Life's not so bad after all." Oh! I am much better. There's nothing like
open air and success and good sleep. They build up as if by magic the
portions of the heart eaten down by despair and unsatisfied yearnings.
Even to the cats I feel friendly. When I came in at eleven o'clock
to-night they followed me to the door in a stream, and I stooped down to
stroke the one nearest to me. Bah! The brute hissed and spat, and struck
at me with her paws. The claw caught my hand and drew blood in a thin
line. The others danced sideways into the darkness, screeching, as
though I had done them an injury. I believe these cats really hate me.
Perhaps they are only waiting to be reinforced. Then they will attack
me. Ha, ha! In spite of the momentary annoyance, this fancy sent me
laughing upstairs to my room.

The fire was out, and the room seemed unusually cold. As I groped my way
over to the mantelpiece to find the matches I realized all at once that
there was another person standing beside me in the darkness. I could, of
course, see nothing, but my fingers, feeling along the ledge, came into
forcible contact with something that was at once withdrawn. It was c