worked dar onct. I reckon you 'se Massa Philip Henley, sah;
though you 've sure growd some since I saw you de las' time. I 'se ol'
Pete, sah; I reckon you remembers ol' Pete."

"Of course I do," I returned heartily, encouraged by his words to
believe I would pass muster. "Can you drive us out?"

The negro scratched his head.

"I reckon as how I can, sah, leastwise so far as ther gate. It's going
to be plum dark when we gits dar, an' dis nigger don't fool round dar
none in de dark."

"Why, what's the trouble, Pete?"

"Cause ol' Massa Henley's ghost was hangin' round, sah. I ain't nebber
seen it myself, an' I don't want to, for he was sure bad 'nough alive,
but dar 's niggers what has."

"Oh, pshaw," I laughed, turning toward the silent girl. "We will risk
the ghost if you 'll drive us out. Put in the grips."

"Yes, sah. I reckon this yere am de new missus."

"Yes," and I assisted her into the rear seat. "That's all; now jog
along."

He climbed into his place, but with no special alacrity; but whipped
his team into a swift trot, evidently anxious to complete the trip as
early as possible. I glanced aside at my companion, observing the
paleness of her face.

"Surely you are not afraid of the negro's ghost?" I questioned.

"Oh, no, but the strangeness of it all has got on my nerves. I did not
suppose it would be so hard, and--and I am not so sure now that we
ought to do this."

"But that is foolish," I insisted, a bit angrily. "We talked it all
over, you know, and no harm can be done, except through our discovery.
Don't fail me now."

"Oh, I am not going to fail," indignantly. "The ride will steady my
nerves," she leaned forward whispering, her head inclined toward the
front seat. "Perhaps he can tell us who we shall meet there?"

"Pete," I asked, "who is out there now?"

The negro turned, so I could see the whites of his eyes.

"At de Henley plantation, sah? Why, I reckon de oberseer an' de
housekeeper--both white folks. I done don't know just who dey am fer
shure, cause dey don't stay long no more. I reckon dey can't abide dat
ghost, sah, an' de field han's dey won't stay on de place at all affer
dark."

"The overseer and housekeeper then are newly employed?"

"Dem am de fac's, sah. Deh ain't been dar no time at all, an' I reckon
as how dey won't stay long, though de niggers say de oberseer am a hell
ob a man."

Here was a pleasant situation surely. While the conditions were
fa