he bar?" said Malcolm, looking round.

"You can go, if you like," said one of the others, with a faint laugh;
"we'll wait here for you."

The stout traveller walked towards the door and took a few steps up the
passage. Then he stopped. All was quite silent, and he walked slowly to
the end and looked down fearfully towards the glass partition which shut
off the bar. Three times he made as though to go to it; then he turned
back, and, glancing over his shoulder, came hurriedly back to the room.

"Did you see it, sir?" whispered George.

"Don't know," said Malcolm, shortly. "I fancied I saw something, but it
might have been fancy. I'm in the mood to see anything just now. How are
you feeling now, sir?"

"Oh, I feel a bit better now," said Hirst, somewhat brusquely, as all
eyes were turned upon him.

"I dare say you think I'm easily scared, but you didn't see it."

"Not at all," said Malcolm, smiling faintly despite himself.

"I'm going to bed," said Hirst, noticing the smile and resenting it.
"Will you share my room with me, Somers?"

"I will with pleasure," said his friend, "provided you don't mind
sleeping with the gas on full all night."

He rose from his seat, and bidding the company a friendly good-night,
left the room with his crestfallen friend. The others saw them to the
foot of the stairs, and having heard their door close, returned to the
coffee-room.

"Well, I suppose the bet's off?" said the stout commercial, poking the
fire and then standing with his legs apart on the hearthrug; "though, as
far as I can see, I won it. I never saw a man so scared in all my life.
Sort of poetic justice about it, isn't there?"

"Never mind about poetry or justice," said one of his listeners; "who's
going to sleep with me?"

"I will," said Malcolm, affably.

"And I suppose we share a room together, Mr. Leek?" said the third man,
turning to the fourth.

"No, thank you," said the other, briskly; "I don't believe in ghosts. If
anything comes into my room I shall shoot it."

"That won't hurt a spirit, Leek," said Malcolm, decisively.

"Well the noise'll be like company to me," said Leek, "and it'll wake
the house too. But if you're nervous, sir," he added, with a grin,
to the man who had suggested sharing his room, "George'll be only too
pleased to sleep on the door-mat inside your room, I know."

"That I will, sir," said George, fervently; "and if you gentlemen would
only come down with me to the bar to put the