the wood
where he had picketed his horse, and then rode back to Atkinson.

_CHAPTER VIII._

Friday morning Drysdale appeared at breakfast and tried to appear
natural and at ease. He spoke of his peculiar hallucination, but his
remarks were simply repetitions of those he had frequently made before.
Andrews again requested him to describe the appearance of the spectre,
but Drysdale seemed averse to continuing the conversation on that
subject, and so it was dropped.

Immediately after dinner they started for Atkinson, the gentlemen on
horseback, and the ladies in the carriage. As Andrews could offer no
plausible excuse for detaining them, Mrs. Potter was obliged to try what
she could do. By making two calls on acquaintances living along the
road, she was enabled to keep back their arrival much later than
Drysdale liked, though not late enough for her purpose. It was too early
to have Green appear, as there were so many people traveling on the road
that he might be seen by others and the trick exposed.

It was quite evident that Drysdale was in a miserable condition. He was
sure that he had seen the ghost of George Gordon, and he was in a state
of momentary dread and suspense. He had entertained thoughts of leaving
the place, but he dared not. Like Eugene Aram, he pictured himself as
continually haunted by the spirit of his victim, and he feared lest
others should see it, and accuse him of the murder. His health failed
rapidly; his form was emaciated, his cheeks hollow, his eyes haggard and
sunken. It was clearly only a question of time how soon he confessed or
went insane.

Green continued his night watches about the house, and again one night
Drysdale passed out to the creek and acted as before. This time,
however, he had his clothes on, and as he passed Green at arms length,
it seemed almost incredible that he should have failed to see him. Green
took particular pains to identify the exact spot where Drysdale had
searched in the water, and he marked it carefully by placing a stone on
each side of the bank opposite where Drysdale had stopped.

The following night Mrs. Potter got up and went into Drysdale's room,
where he was sleeping alone. She then dropped some blood on his pillow,
on the floor, and around the bed. Then passing out, she left the trail
as before from the house toward Rocky Creek. Drysdale was horrified
early next morning when he saw the blood-stains. He groaned piteously as
he walked about