ign of any
thing of the sort was discernible. I then had the various
articles--plate, wearing apparel, books, &c., counted; and after having
conned over and reckoned up every thing, it became quite clear that
nothing whatever had been removed from the house, nor was there the
slightest indication of any thing having been so much as disturbed
there. I must here state that this child was remarkably clear,
intelligent, and observant; and that her description of the man, and of
all that had occurred, was most exact, and as detailed as the want of
perfect light rendered possible.

I felt assured that an entrance had actually been effected into the
house, though for what purpose was not easily to be conjectured. The
man, Smith, was equally confident upon this point; and his theory was
that the object was simply to frighten us out of the house by making us
believe it haunted; and he was more than ever anxious and on the alert
to discover the conspirators. It often since appeared to me odd. Every
year, indeed, more odd, as this cumulative case of the marvellous
becomes to my mind more and more inexplicable--that underlying my sense
of mystery and puzzle, was all along the quiet assumption that all these
occurrences were one way or another referable to natural causes. I could
not account for them, indeed, myself; but during the whole period I
inhabited that house, I never once felt, though much alone, and often up
very late at night, any of those tremors and thrills which every one has
at times experienced when situation and the hour are favourable. Except
the cook and housemaid, who were plagued with the shadow I mentioned
crossing and recrossing upon the bedroom wall, we all, without
exception, experienced the same strange sense of security, and regarded
these phenomena rather with a perplexed sort of interest and curiosity,
than with any more unpleasant sensations.

The knockings which I have mentioned at the nursery door, preceded
generally by the sound of a step on the lobby, meanwhile continued. At
that time (for my wife, like myself, was an invalid) two eminent
physicians, who came out occasionally by rail, were attending us. These
gentlemen were at first only amused, but ultimately interested, and very
much puzzled by the occurrences which we described. One of them, at
last, recommended that a candle should be kept burning upon the lobby.
It was in fact a recurrence to an old woman's recipe against ghosts--of
course it