out,
to discover what possible duties she might have laid out for me.
Ascertaining from Ellen that Mrs. Packard had engagements which would
take her out at noon, I waited for that hour to pass, then excused
myself and went out also.

The owner of the house whose shaded history I was now determined to
learn was John Searles, a real estate agent. To his office in Main
Street I at once proceeded, not without doubts and much inward
trepidation, but buoyed up by the assurance of Mayor Packard's approval
of any attempt, however far-fetched or unpromising, which held out the
least possibility of relieving Mrs. Packard from her superstitious fears
and restoring the peace and happiness of the household. If only Mr.
Searles should prove to be an approachable man!

I had never seen him or heard him spoken of, or I should not have
encouraged myself with this hope. At my first glimpse of his tall, gaunt
figure, hard features, and brisk impatient movements, I knew that my wit
and equanimity would be put to their full test in the interview.

He was engaged, at my entrance, in some harsh dispute with a couple of
other men, but came forward quickly enough when he saw me. Recognizing
at once that any attempt at ingratiation would fail with this man, I
entered at once upon my errand by asking a question direct enough to
command his attention, if it did not insure the desired reply.

"Mr. Searles, when you purchased the house on Franklin Street, did
you know enough about it to have an answer ready for any one who might
declare it haunted?"

The abruptness of the attack produced its effect. Annoyance swept every
hint of patience from face and manner, and he exclaimed in a tone which
conveyed, only too openly, how disagreeable the subject was to him.

"Again!"

I smiled. It would not do to show how much I felt the total lack of
sympathy in his manner.

"You will have trouble," said I, "until it is proved that the
occurrences which have provoked this report have a very natural and
quite human source."

He stopped in his nervous fidgeting and gave me a quick hard look.

"Who are you?" he asked, "and why has Mrs. Packard made you her
messenger instead of coming herself?"

"I am her companion, engaged by Mayor Packard to stay with her during
his contemplated absence. I am here instead of Mrs. Packard because
it is she herself who is the present sufferer from the disagreeable
experiences which attend life in the Franklin Street hous