had caught her daughter by the hand and
was probably unaware what passion she had put into her clasp.
Mademoiselle Letellier blushed again at the sound of her own voice, and
prayed her mother's pardon with the most engaging of smiles. As she did
so, I caught a glimpse of that mother's face. It was white as death.
"Decidedly, she knows more than she ought to," thought I. "And yet she
wants to know more. Why?"

"The Happy-Go-Lucky Inn," I observed, as soon as the flutter caused by
this incident had subsided, "is no more haunted by a banshee than by a
ghost. But that is not saying it should not be. It is old enough, it is
respectable enough; it has traditions enough. I could tell you tales of
its owners, and incidents connected with the coming and going of the
innumerable guests who have frequented it both before and during the
revolution, that would keep you here till morning. But the one story I
will tell must suffice. We should lose our character of mystery if I
told you all. Besides, how could I tell all? Who could ever tell the
complete story of such a house as this?"

"Hear! hear!" cried another young man.

"Years ago--" I stopped again, wickedly stopped. "Madame, will you not
come forward where it is lighter?"

"I thank you," Madame Letellier responded.

She rose deliberately and came forward, tall, mute and commanding. She
sat down in the light; she looked me in the face; she robbed me even of
my doubts. I felt my heart turn over in my breast and wondered.

"You do not proceed," she murmured.

"Pardon me," said I; and assuming a nonchalance I was far from feeling,
I commenced again. I had played with her fears. I would play with them
further. I would see how much she could bear. I resumed:

"Years ago, when I was younger and had been mistress of this place but a
short time, there entered this place one evening, at nightfall, a young
couple. Did you speak, madame? Excuse me, it was your daughter, then?"

"Yes," chimed in the latter, coming forward and taking her stand by the
mother, greatly to the delight of the young gentlemen present, who asked
for nothing better than an opportunity to gaze upon her modest but
exquisite face. "Yes; it was I. I am interested, that is all."

I began to hate my role, but went on stolidly.

"They were a handsome pair, and I felt an interest in them at once. But
this interest immeasurably heightened when the young man, almost before
the door had closed upon them, drew me a