should do so if face
to face with one, is another question. This house has the reputation of
being haunted, I believe. Have you seen the ghost yourself?"

"No, but I have seen others who did, or thought they did. Do you believe
in ghosts?"

"I do not know that I have considered the subject sufficiently to say
whether I do or not. I see no _prima facie_ objection to their
appearance. That it would be supernatural offers no difficulty to a
Christian whose religion is founded on, and bound up with, the
supernatural."

"If you do see anything, I should like to know."

I went away, wondering why he repelled as well as attracted me; what it
was behind the almost awe-inspiring purity and earnestness I felt in him
that left me with a chill sense of disappointment? The question was so
perplexing and so interesting that I determined to follow it up next
day, and ordered my servant to call me as early as Mr. Austyn was
wakened.

In the morning I had just finished dressing, but had not put out my
candles, when a knock at the door was followed by the entrance of Austyn
himself.

"I did not expect to find you up, Mr. Lyndsay; I knocked gently, lest
you should be asleep. In case you were not, I intended to come and tell
you that I had seen the ghost."

"Breakfast is ready," said a servant at the door.

"Let me come down with you and hear about it," I said.

We went down through staircase and hall, still plunged in darkness, to
the dining-room, where lamps and fire burned brightly. Their glow
falling on Austyn's face showed me how pale it was, and worn as if from
watching.

Breakfast was set ready for him, but he refused to touch it.

"But tell me what you saw."

"I must have slept two or three hours when I awoke with the feeling that
there was someone besides myself in the room. I thought at first it was
the remains of a dream and would quickly fade away; but it did not, it
grew stronger. Then I raised myself in bed and looked round. The space
between the sash of the window and the curtains--my shutters were not
closed--allowed one narrow stream of moonlight to enter and lie across
the floor. Near this, standing on the brink of it, as it were, and
rising dark against it, was a shadowy figure. Nothing was clearly
outlined but the face; _that_ I saw only too distinctly. I rose and
remained up for at least an hour before it vanished. I heard the clock
outside strike the hour twice. I was not looking at it all this time--o