wherever I was, and I have kept my promise, and
I have come from where I am and brought a present with me. It was bitter
to die so young! I was so young to die and leave you, but I had to go.
Take it--take it; be quick, I cannot stay any longer. _I could not give
you my life, Frank, so I have brought you my death--take it!_"

The figure thrust the basket into my hand, and as it did so the rain
came up again, and began to obscure the moonlight.

"I must go, I must go," went on the dreadful, familiar voice, in a cry
of despair. "Oh, why were you so long opening the door? I wanted to
talk to you before you married Annie; and now I shall never see you
again--never! never! _never!_ I have lost you for ever! ever! _ever!_"

As the last wailing notes died away the wind came down with a rush and
a whirl and the sweep as of a thousand wings, and threw me back into the
house, bringing the door to with a crash after me.

I staggered into the kitchen, the basket in my hand, and set it on the
table. Just then some embers of the fire fell in, and a faint little
flame rose and glimmered on the bright dishes on the dresser, even
revealing a tin candlestick, with a box of matches by it. I was
well-nigh mad with the darkness and fear, and, seizing the matches,
I struck one, and held it to the candle. Presently it caught, and I
glanced round the room. It was just as usual, just as the servants
had left it, and above the mantelpiece the eight-day clock ticked away
solemnly. While I looked at it it struck two, and in a dim fashion I was
thankful for its friendly sound.

Then I looked at the basket. It was of very fine white plaited work with
black bands running up it, and a chequered black-and-white handle. I
knew it well. I have never seen another like it. I bought it years
ago at Madeira, and gave it to my poor wife. Ultimately it was washed
overboard in a gale in the Irish Channel. I remember that it was full of
newspapers and library books, and I had to pay for them. Many and many
is the time that I have seen that identical basket standing there on
that very kitchen table, for my dear wife always used it to put flowers
in, and the shortest cut from that part of the garden where her roses
grew was through the kitchen. She used to gather the flowers, and then
come in and place her basket on the table, just where it stood now, and
order the dinner.

All this passed through my mind in a few seconds as I stood there with
the candle