turnine face, that this was a spirit, not a man. I have speculated
since, whether there may have been infection in his mind.

In my turn, I stepped back. But in making the action, I detected in his
eyes some latent fear of me. This put the monstrous thought to flight.

"You look at me," I said, forcing a smile, "as if you had a dread of me."

"I was doubtful," he returned, "whether I had seen you before."

"Where?"

He pointed to the red light he had looked at.

"There?" I said.

Intently watchful of me, he replied (but without sound), "Yes."

"My good fellow, what should I do there? However, be that as it may, I
never was there, you may swear."

"I think I may," he rejoined. "Yes. I am sure I may."

His manner cleared, like my own. He replied to my remarks with
readiness, and in well-chosen words. Had he much to do there? Yes; that
was to say, he had enough responsibility to bear; but exactness and
watchfulness were what was required of him, and of actual work--manual
labour--he had next to none. To change that signal, to trim those
lights, and to turn this iron handle now and then, was all he had to do
under that head. Regarding those many long and lonely hours of which I
seemed to make so much, he could only say that the routine of his life
had shaped itself into that form, and he had grown used to it. He had
taught himself a language down here--if only to know it by sight, and to
have formed his own crude ideas of its pronunciation, could be called
learning it. He had also worked at fractions and decimals, and tried a
little algebra; but he was, and had been as a boy, a poor hand at
figures. Was it necessary for him when on duty, always to remain in that
channel of damp air, and could he never rise into the sunshine from
between those high stone walls? Why, that depended upon times and
circumstances. Under some conditions there would be less upon the Line
than under others, and the same held good as to certain hours of the day
and night. In bright weather, he did choose occasions for getting a
little above these lower shadows; but, being at all times liable to be
called by his electric bell, and at such times listening for it with
redoubled anxiety, the relief was less than I would suppose.

He took me into his box, where there was a fire, a desk for an official
book in which he had to make certain entries, a telegraphic instrument
with its dial face and needles, and the little bell of wh