f carpet slippers are set up within
fender. Red curtains to window recess. Shutters or blinds to windows.
Armchair and about six other chairs in the room. One old-fashioned
settle. One small table. Clock. Decanter of water, half a dozen toddy
tumblers. Matches, etc. The only light is a ruddy glow from the fire.
Kettle on hob. Moonlight from R. of window when shutter is opened.
Practical chandelier from ceiling or lights at side of mantelpiece.
DOCTOR'S coat and muffler on chair up L., his cap on mantelpiece._

_All lights out, dark stage. Opening music. Curtain rise--ticking of
clock heard. Wind, then church clock chimes, the Lights come very slowly
up, when the red glow is seen in the fireplace the low murmurs of the
characters heard, and gradually get louder as lights come up to when
SOMERS' voice tops all._

(_The stage occupied by all characters except GEORGE the waiter.
Discovered, PENFOLD, sitting in arm chair L. of fire, above it. DOCTOR
LEEK standing above fire and leaning on mantel-shelf. HIRST sitting on
settle below fire and nearest to audience. SOMERS seated on settle with
him but above him. MALCOLM and BELDON on chairs R. C., facing fire. ALL
are smoking, and drink from their respective glasses from time to time.
SOMERS has just finished a story as Curtain rises._)

OMNES. Oh, I say, that sounds impossible, etc.

SOMERS. Haunted or not haunted, the fact remains that no one stays in
the house long. It's been let to several tenants since the time of the
murder, but they never completed their tenancy. The last tenant held out
for a month, but at last he gave up like the rest, and cleared out,
although he had done the place up thoroughly, and must have been pounds
out of pocket by the transaction.

MALCOLM. Well, it's a capital ghost story, I admit, that is, as a story,
but I for one can't swallow it.

HIRST. I don't know, it is not nearly so improbable as some I have
heard. Of course it's an old idea that spirits like to get into the
company of human beings. A man told me once, that he travelled down by
the Great Western, with a ghost as fellow passenger, and hadn't the
slightest suspicion of it, until the inspector came for tickets. My
friend said, the way that ghost tried to keep up appearances, by feeling
in all its pockets, and even looking on the floor for its ticket, was
quite touching. Ultimately it gave it up, and with a loud groan vanished
through the ventilator.

(_SOMERS, MALCOLM and LEEK la