as I tossed restlessly in my bed I kept wondering to myself
whether what I had seen and heard could be a dream, or whether I really
and truly had held converse with a ghost.

The rest of the time, with the exception of a short doze I took previous
to rising this morning, I spent in prayer for the release of the soul of
the headless lady from purgatory, and likewise that of her lover.

* * * * *

I leave the reader to imagine the sensation our artist's spiritual
visitation excited at the breakfast-table before the members of the
Wonder Club, whose thirst for the marvellous and supernatural was
insatiable. Second and third-hand ghost stories are common enough, and
are generally taken for what they are worth; but here was the case of a
ghost story told by the ghost seer himself, who had seen and spoken to
the ghost only the night before; in the very house, too, in which they
had all been sleeping. Then, added to that, was the manner of the
narrator, which alone bore the stamp of truth on it. The quick roll of
his eye, when he was describing the excited state of his feelings at the
time, the involuntary shudder, and the furtive glance which he from time
to time would give over his shoulder; all signs of a nervous system that
has received some great shock--to say nothing of his worn and disordered
appearance, as might be expected in a man that has seen a ghost.

All this enhanced the power of his words immensely. Then there was the
strange fact to be borne in mind that no one had informed him that the
house was haunted. No one could say that his imagination had been unduly
excited by any story concerning the house previous to his going to
sleep. He had retired to rest calmly, without any fear of a spiritual
visitation. And how could it all be a dream? For the landlord now
distinctly remembered that all our artist had related was exactly what
had been told him by his grandfather.

Various were the exclamations of wonderment from the guests at the
breakfast-table. They gazed with awe on the narrator, then at each
other, then at the narrator again. Our artist had won the esteem of the
whole club.

Breakfast being finished, our friends drew round the fire, and the
landlord left the room, looking grave and shaking his head. McGuilp's
strange adventure had furnished food for comment for two or three hours
afterwards. The whole forenoon nothing was talked of but the ghost.

At length a lull occ