a wealthy
widow. All this was, of course 20 years ago. The other day the farmer
James Ziegland and his son cut down the tree in which Tichnor's bullet
had lodged. The tree proved too tough for splitting and so a small
charge of dynamite was used. The explosion discharged the long forgotten
bullet with great force, it pierced Ziegland's head and he fell mortally
wounded. He explained the existence of the mysterious bullet as he lay
on his deathbed."--_The Pioneer, Allahabad_, (India,) 31st January,
1913.

In India ghosts and their stories are looked upon with respect and fear.
I have heard all sorts of ghost stories from my nurse and my father's
coachman, Abdullah, who used to be my constant companion in my
childhood, (dear friend, who is no more), as well as from my friends who
are Judges and Magistrates and other responsible servants of Government,
and in two cases from Judges of Indian High Courts.

A story told by a nurse or a coachman should certainly not be reproduced
in this book. In this book, there are a few of those stories only which
are true to the best of the author's knowledge and belief.

Some of these narratives may, no doubt, savour too much of the nature of
a Cock and Bull story, but the reader must remember that "there are more
things in heaven and earth, etc." and that truth is sometimes stranger
than fiction.

The author is responsible for the arrangement of the stories in this
volume. Probably they could have been better arranged; but a little
thought will make it clear why this particular sequence has been
selected.

S.M.

_Calcutta, July 1914._

PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.

Since the publication of the first edition my attention has been drawn
to a number of very interesting and instructive articles that have been
appearing in the papers from time to time. Readers who care for subjects
like the present must have themselves noted these; but there is one
article which, by reason of the great interest created in the German
Kaiser at the present moment, I am forced to reproduce. As permission to
reproduce the article was delayed the book was through the press by the
time it arrived. I am therefore reproducing here the article as it
appeared in "the _Occult Review_ of January 1917". My grateful thanks
are due to the proprietors and the Editor of "the _Occult Review_" but
for whose kind permission some of my readers would have been deprived of
a most interesting treat.

WILH