haps to die,
for he looked wretchedly ill. He spoke weariedly and rather impatiently,
when he said he could not call again.

"With that, he turned abruptly and went out. Anxious to retain his
good-will, I shouted after him, 'Can I post what may be done?' but I got
no answer. I turned once more to the book, looked at the number, and on
a slip of paper wrote _No. 7976, Thompson, post_. (This I wrote
with pen and ink, and have the paper yet.)."

Mr. Dickinson said he had handed over this piece of paper to a
representative of the Psychical Research Society who had lost it. It
was, however, a mere memorandum written on the back of a traveller's
card.

"At nine o'clock, when Miss Simon (clerk and reception room
attendant, a bright, intelligent young lady) came, I handed the slip
of paper to her, and asked her to have it attended to, telling her
that the man had called for them, and seemed much disappointed that
he had not received them before. Miss Simon, with considerable
surprise, exclaimed, 'Why, an old man called about these photographs
yesterday (Friday), and I told him they could not be ready this week
owing to the bad weather, and that we were nearly three weeks behind
with our work.' I suggested that it was quite time Mr. Thompson's
were ready, and inquired who was printing the order. I was told that
it was not in print, and, pointing to a pile of negatives, Miss
Simon said 'Thompson's is amongst that lot, and they have been
waiting quite a fortnight.' I asked to be shown the negative, and
about half an hour later Miss S. called me saying 'This is
Thompson's negative.'

"I took it in my hands and looked at it carefully, remarking, 'Yes,
that is it; that is the chap who called this morning.'"

Mr. Dickinson said he had no difficulty in recognising it, although
the man wore a hat and top-coat when he called, whereas in the
portrait the sitter wore neither hat nor top-coat.

"Miss Simon again referred to the fact that she had told the man who
had called on the previous day that none were done, or could be done
that week. 'Well,' I said, 'put this to one side, and I will see to
it myself on Monday, and endeavour to hurry it forward.' On the
Monday (January 5th) I was in one of the printing-rooms, and about
10.30 a.m., having one or two printing-frames empty, I thought of
Thompson's negative, and accordingly w