?" I asked, fearfully. It had been a
terrible task to break in those two handmaids, to train them _not_
to take part in the conversation at table, _not_ to take off cap,
and hair, not to do the thousand and one undisciplined and
disorderly things they did do.

"Ghostes! Sperets! Ha'nts!" chattered the colored women. "Ol' Mis'
Scarlett's walkin' in de ca'iage house!"

"Nonsense!" At the same time I felt myself turning pale, and
goose-flesh coming out on my spine.

"No, ma'am, Miss Sophy, 't ain't nonsense. It's ha'nts!" protested
Fernolia. She was the brighter of the two, but given to embroidering
her facts.

"Yessum, I done saw 'er," corroborated Queenasheeba. (That's how one
pronounced her name.)

The two occupied a very pleasant room above the carriage house, a
room that had overcome their unwillingness to stay overnight at
Hynds House. Queenasheeba was just dozing, when she was awakened by
Fernolia, who had been sitting by the window. Both of them, peering
through the scrim curtains, saw a tall white figure disappear into
the spring-house. A few minutes later, to their horror, they heard
Something moving downstairs in the carriage house--Something like
the clank of a chain--footsteps--and then silence. Almost paralyzed
with terror, the two women clung together. _Anything_ might be
expected of ol' Mis' Scarlett! However, nothing further happened.
With shaking hands Queenasheeba relighted the lamp. Then, snatching
up such clothes as they could grab, the two fled to us.

Mary Magdalen and Beautiful Dog always departed after dinner. Except
for the Black family and the two canaries, Alicia and I had big,
lonesome Hynds House to ourselves. Mr. Jelnik's gray cottage, set
amid Lombardy poplars and thick shrubberies, was some distance
away, and we didn't know whether Doctor Geddes was at home or not.
It is true we had firearms, a pair of pistols having been literally
forced upon us by the doctor, who fretted and fumed about our
staying there alone. Both of us were more afraid of those pistols
than of any possible ghostly intruder.

Nevertheless, I went up-stairs and fetched them. Alicia took one as
she might have taken a rattlesnake, and I held the other. Armed
thus, carrying torch-light and lantern, and with the two gray-faced,
half-clad negro women following us, one carrying our brass poker and
the other the tongs, we marched upon the carriage house.

The big barnlike place, lately cleaned and whitewashed, looked