uld see was jest this white figure, and it jest
went out still as a cat as she come in.

"Wal, Cinthy didn't like to speak to the cap'n about it. She was a close
woman, putty prudent, Cinthy was.

"But one night, 'bout the middle o' the week, this 'ere thing kind o'
come to a crisis.

"Cinthy said she'd ben up putty late a sewin' and a finishin' off down
in the parlor; and the cap'n he sot up with her, and was consid'able
cheerful and entertainin', tellin' her all about things over in the
Bermudys, and off to Chiny and Japan, and round the world ginerally. The
storm that hed been a blowin' all the week was about as furious as ever;
and the cap'n he stirred up a mess o' flip, and hed it for her hot to
go to bed on. He was a good-natured critter, and allers had feelin's for
lone women; and I s'pose he knew 'twas sort o' desolate for Cinthy.

"Wal, takin' the flip so right the last thing afore goin' to bed, she
went right off to sleep as sound as a nut, and slep' on till somewhere
about mornin', when she said somethin' waked her broad awake in a
minute. Her eyes flew wide open like a spring, and the storm hed gone
down and the moon come out; and there, standin' right in the moonlight
by her bed, was a woman jest as white as a sheet, with black hair
hangin' down to her waist, and the brightest, mourn fullest black eyes
you ever see. She stood there lookin' right at Cinthy; and Cinthy thinks
that was what waked her up; 'cause, you know, ef anybody stands and
looks steady at folks asleep it's apt to wake 'em.

[Illustration: Stood there lookin' right at Cinthy, Page 149]

"Any way, Cinthy said she felt jest as ef she was turnin' to stone. She
couldn't move nor speak. She lay a minute, and then she shut her eyes,
and begun to say her prayers; and a minute after she opened 'em, and it
was gone.

"Cinthy was a sensible gal, and one that allers hed her thoughts about
her; and she jest got up and put a shawl round her shoulders, and went
first and looked at the doors, and they was both on 'em locked jest as
she left 'em when she went to bed. Then she looked under the bed and in
the closet, and felt all round the room: where she couldn't see she felt
her way, and there wa'n't nothin' there.

"Wal, next mornin' Cinthy got up and went home, and she kep' it to
herself a good while. Finally, one day when she was workin' to our house
she told Hepsy about it, and Hepsy she told me."

"Well, Sam," we said, after a pause, in whic