l reason. Search proved that she had brought no drugs or any sort
of physic with her, and no information to cast the least light came from
the institution for which she worked. She was a favorite there, and the
news of her sudden death brought sorrow to her many personal friends.

"The physicians felt their failure to find a natural and scientific
cause for her death. Indeed, Dr. Mordred, from Plymouth, an eminent
pathologist, trembled not a little about it, as Mannering afterwards
told me. The finite mind of science hates, apparently, to be faced with
any mystery beyond its power to explain. It regards such an incident
as a challenge to human intellect, and does not remember that we are
encompassed with mystery as with a garment, and that every day and every
night are laden with phenomena for which man cannot account, and never
will.

"Nurse Forrester's relations--a sister and an old mother--came to the
funeral. Also her dearest woman friend, another professional nurse,
whose name I do not recollect. She was buried at Chadlands, and her
grave lies near our graves. Mary loves to tend it still, though to her
the dead woman is but a name. Yet to this day she declares that she can
remember Nurse Forrester's voice through her fever--gentle, yet musical
and cheerful. As for me, I never mourned so brief an acquaintance
so heartily. To part with the bright creature, so full of life and
kindliness, and to stand beside her corpse but eight or nine hours
afterwards, was a chastening and sad experience."

Sir Walter became pensive, and did not proceed for the space of a
minute. None, however, spoke until he had again done so:

"That is the story of what is called our haunted room, so far as this
generation is concerned. What grounds for its sinister reputation
existed in the far past I know not--only a vague, oral tradition came to
my father from his, and it is certain that neither of them attached any
personal importance to it. But after such a peculiar and unfortunate
tragedy, you will not be surprised that I regarded the chamber as ruled
out from my domiciliary scheme, and denied it to any future guests."

"Do you really associate the lady's death with the room, Walter?" asked
Mr. Travers.

"Honestly I do not, Ernest. And for this reason: I deny that any
malignant, spiritual personality would ever be permitted by the Creator
to exercise physical powers over the living, or destroy human beings
without reason or justice. Th