F obeyed. "Was that you, sir ?" said he, turning abruptly.

"I!-what?"

"Why, something struck me. I felt it sharply on the shoulder-just here."

"No," said I. "But we have jugglers present, and though we may not discover their tricks, we shall catch them before they frighten us."

I

We did not stay long in the draw-might be detected here. I rushed ing-rooms-in fact, they felt so in first, my servant followed. A damp and so chilly that I was glad small blank dreary room without to get to the fire upstairs. We furniture-a few empty boxes and locked the doors of the drawing- hampers in a corner-a small winrooms-a precaution which, dow-the shutters closed-not even should observe, we had taken with a fireplace-no other door but that all the rooms we had searched by which we had entered-no carpet below. The bedroom my servant on the floor, and the floor seemed had selected for me was the best on very old, uneven, worm-eaten, the floor-a large one, with two mended here and there, as was windows fronting the street. The shown by the whiter patches on the four-posted bed, which took up no wood; but no living being, and no inconsiderable space, was opposite visible place in which a living being to the fire, which burned clear and could have hidden. As we stood bright; a door in the wall to the gazing round, the door by which we left, between the bed and the win- had entered closed as quietly as it dow, communicated with the room had before opened: we were imwhich my servant appropriated to prisoned. himself. This last was a small room with a sofa-bed, and had no communication with the landing-place-no other door but that which conducted to the bedroom I was to occupy. On either side of my fireplace was a cupboard, without locks, "Try first if it will open to your flush with the wall, and covered hand," said I, shaking off the vague with the same dull-brown paper. apprehension that had seized me, We examined these cupboards-while I unclose the shutters and only hooks to suspend female see what is without." dresses-nothing else; we sounded the walls-evidently solid-the outer walls of the building. Having finished the survey of these apartments, warmed myself a few moments, and lighted my cigar, I then, still accompanied by F, went forth to complete my reconnoitre. In the landing-place there was another door; it was closed firmly.

For the first time I felt a creep of undefinable horror. Not so my servant. "Why, they don't think to trap us, sir; I could break that trumpery door with a kick of my foot."

I unbarred the shutters- the window looked on the little backyard I have before described; there was no ledge without-nothing to break the sheer descent of the wall. No man getting out of that window would have found any footing till he had fallen on the stones below.

F -, meanwhile, was vainly attempting to open the door. He

now turned round to me, and asked | still left in a rent half repaired. The kerchief was covered with dust; probably it had belonged to the old woman who had last died in that house, and this might have been her sleeping-room. I had sufficient curiosity to open the drawers: there were a few odds and ends of female dress, and two letters tied round with a narrow ribbon of faded yellow. I took the liberty to possess myself of the letters. We found nothing else in the room worth noticing-nor did the light reappear; but we distinctly heard, as we turned to go, a pattering foot

went through the other attics (in all four), the footfall still preceding us.. Nothing to be seen-nothing but the footfall heard. I had the letters in my hand: just as I was descending the stairs I distinctly felt my wrist seized, and a faint soft effort made to draw the letters from my clasp. I only held them the more tightly, and the effort ceased.

my permission to use force. And I should here state, in justice to the servant, that, far from evincing any superstitious terrors, his nerve, composure, and even gaiety amidst circumstances SO extraordinary, compelled my admiration, and made me congratulate myself on having secured a companion in every way fitted to the occasion. I willingly gave him the permission he required. But though he was a remarkably strong man, his force was as idle as his milder efforts; the door did not even shake to his stoutest kick. Breathless and pant-fall on the floor-just before us. We ing, he desisted. I then tried the door myself, equally in vain. As I ceased from the effort, again that creep of horror came over me; but this time it was more cold and stubborn. I felt as if some strange and ghastly exhalation were rising up from the chinks of that rugged floor, and filling the atmosphere with a venomous influence hostile to human life. The door now very slowly and quietly opened as of its own accord. We precipitated ourselves into the landing-place. We both saw a large pale light-as large as the human figure, but shapeless and unsubstantial-move before us, and ascend the stairs that led from the landing into the attics. I followed the light, and my servant followed me. It entered, to the right of the landing, a small garret, of which the door stood open. I entered in the same instant. The light then collapsed into a small globule, exceedingly brilliant and vivid; rested a moment on a bed in the corner, quivered, and vanished. We approached the bed and examined it—a half-tester, such as is commonly found in attics devoted to servants. On the drawers that stood near it we perceived an old faded silk kerchief, with the needle

We regained the bedchamber appropriated to myself, and I then remarked that my dog had not followed us when we had left it. He was thrusting himself close to the fire, and trembling. I was impatient to examine the letters; and while I read them, my servant opened a little box in which he had deposited the weapons I had ordered him to bring; took them out, placed them on a table close at my bed-head, and then occupied himself in soothing the dog, who, however, seemed to heed him very little.

The letters were short-they were dated; the dates exactly thirty-five years ago. They were evidently from a lover to his mistress, or a husband to some young wife. Not only the terms of expression, but a distinct reference to a former voyage, indicated the writer to have been a seafarer. The spelling and hand

writing were those of a man imper- | twenty minutes I felt an exceedingly fectly educated, but still the language cold air pass by my cheek, like a itself was forcible. In the expressions sudden draught. I fancied the door of endearment there was a kind of to my right, communicating with rough wild love; but here and there the landing-place, must have got were dark unintelligible hints at some open; but no-it was closed. I secret not of love-some secret that then turned my glance to my left, seemed of crime. "We ought to love and saw the flame of the candles each other," was one of the sentences violently swayed as by a wind. At I remember, "for how every one else the same moment the watch beside would execrate us if all was known." the revolver softly slid from the Again: "Don't let any one be in table-softly, softly-no visible hand the same room with you at night--it was gone. I sprang up, seizing you talk in your sleep." And again: the revolver with the one hand, "What's done can't be undone; and the dagger with the other: I was I tell you there's nothing against us not willing that my weapons should unless the dead could come to life." share the fate of the watch. Thus Here there was underlined in a armed, I looked round the floorbetter handwriting (a female's), no sign of the watch. Three slow, 'They do!" At the end of the loud, distinct knocks were now letter latest in date the same female heard at the bed-head; my servant hand had written these words: called out, "Is that you, sir? "Lost at sea the 4th of June, the "No; be on your guard.” same day as The dog now roused himself and I put down the letters, and began sat on his haunches, his ears moving to muse over their contents.

"

Fearing, however, that the train of thought into which I fell might unsteady my nerves, I fully determined to keep my mind in a fit state to cope with whatever of marvellous the advancing night might bring forth. I roused myself -laid the letters on the tablestirred up the fire, which was still bright and cheering-and opened my volume of Macaulay. I read quietly enough till about half-past eleven. I then threw myself dressed upon the bed, and told my servant he might retire to his own room, but must keep himself awake. I bade him leave open the door between the two rooms. Thus alone, I kept two candles burning on the table by my bed-head. I placed my watch beside the weapons, and calmly resumed my Macaulay. Opposite to me the fire burned clear; and on the hearthrug, seemingly asleep, lay the dog. In about

quickly backwards and forwards. He kept his eyes fixed on me with a look so strange that he concentred all my attention on himself. Slowly he rose up, all his hair bristling, and stood perfectly rigid, and with the same wild stare. I had no time, however, to examine the dog. Presently my servant emerged from his room; and if ever I saw horror in the human face, it was then. I should not have recognised him had we met in the street, so altered was every lineament. He passed by me quickly, saying in a whisper that seemed scarcely to come from his lips, "Run-run! it is after me!" He gained the door to the landing, pulled it open, and rushed forth. I followed him into the landing involuntarily, calling to him to stop; but, without heeding me, he bounded down the stairs, clinging to the balusters, and taking several steps at a time. I heard, where I stood, the street-door open-heard it again

clap to. I was left alone in the haunted house.

It was but for a moment that I remained undecided whether or not to follow my servant; pride and curiosity alike forbade so dastardly a flight. I re-entered my room, closing the door after me, and proceeded cautiously into the interior chamber. I encountered nothing to justify my servant's terror. I again carefully examined the walls, to see if there were any concealed door. I could find no trace of one -not even a seam in the dull-brown paper with which the room was hung. How, then, had the THING, whatever it was, which had so scared him, obtained ingress except through my own chamber?

may conceive I exaggerate, I may be pardoned if I pause to indulge in one or two egotistical remarks.

As I hold presence of mind, or what is called courage, to be precisely proportioned to familiarity with the circumstances that lead to it, so I should say that I had been long sufficiently familiar with all experiments that appertain to the Marvellous. I had witnessed many very extraordinary phenomena in various parts of the world—phenomena that would be either totally disbelieved if I stated them, or ascribed to supernatural agencies. Now, my theory is that the Supernatural is the Impossible, and that what is called supernatural is only a something in the laws of nature of which we have been hitherto ignorant. Therefore, if a ghost rise before me, I have not the right to say, "So, then, the supernatural is possible," but rather, " So, then, the apparition of a ghost is, contrary to received opinion, within the laws of nature-i. e., not supernatural.”

I returned to my room, shut and locked the door that opened upon the interior one, and stood on the hearth, expectant and prepared. I now perceived that the dog had slunk into an angle of the wall, and was pressing himself close against it, as if literally striving to force his way into it. I approached the animal and spoke to it; the poor brute was evidently beside itself with terror. It showed all its teeth, the slaver dropping from its jaws, and would certainly have bitten me if I had touched it. It did not seem to recognise me. Whoever has seen at the Zoological Gardens a rabbit fascinated by a serpent, cowering in a corner, may form some idea of the anguish which the dog exhibited. Finding all efforts to soothe the animal in vain, and fearing that his bite might be as venomous in that state as in the madness of hydro- Accept, again, as truthful, the phobia, I left him alone, placed my tales of Spirit Manifestation in weapons on the table beside the fire, America-musical or other sounds seated myself, and recommenced my-writings on paper, produced by no Macaulay.

Perhaps, in order not to appear seeking credit for a courage, or rather a coolness, which the reader

Now, in all that I had hitherto witnessed, and indeed in all the wonders which the amateurs of mystery in our age record as facts, a material living agency is always required. On the Continent you will find still magicians who assert that they can raise spirits. Assume for the moment that they assert truly, still the living material form of the magician is present; and he is the material agency by which, from some constitutional peculiarities, certain strange phenomena are represented to your natural senses.

discernible hand-articles of furniture moved without apparent human agency-or the actual sight and touch of hands, to which no

I now became aware that something interposed between the page and the light-the page was overshadowed: I looked up, and I saw what I shall find it very difficult, perhaps impossible, to describe.

bodies seem to belong-still there | perhaps perilous, chemical combimust be found the MEDIUM or living nation. Of course, the more I kept being, with constitutional peculiari- my mind detached from fancy, the ties capable of obtaining these signs. more the temper fitted for observaIn fine, in all such marvels, suppos- tion would be obtained; and I thereing even that there is no imposture, fore riveted eye and thought on the there must be a human being like strong daylight sense in the page of ourselves, by whom, or through my Macaulay. whom, the effects presented to human beings are produced. It is so with the now familiar phenomena of mesmerism or electro-biology; the mind of the person operated on is affected through a material living agent. Nor, supposing it true that a mesmerised patient can respond to the will or passes of a mesmeriser a hundred miles distant, is the response less occasioned by a material being; it may be through a material fluid-call it Electric, call it Odic, call it what you will-which has the power of traversing space and passing obstacles, that the material effect is communicated from one to the other. Hence all that I had hitherto witnessed, or expected to witness, in this strange house, I believed to be occasioned through some agency or medium as mortal as myself; and this idea necessarily prevented the awe with which those who regard as supernatural things that are not within the ordinary operations of nature, might have been impressed by the adventures of that memorable night.

As, then, it was my conjecture that all that was presented, or would be presented to my senses, must originate in some human being gifted by constitution with the power so to present them, and having some motive so to do, I felt an interest in my theory which, in its way, was rather philosophical than superstitious. And I can sincerely say that I was in as tranquil a temper for observation as any practical experimentalist could be in awaiting the effects of some rare, though

It was a Darkness shaping itself forth from the air in very undefined outline. I cannot say it was of a human form, and yet it had more resemblance to a human form, or rather shadow, than to anything else. As it stood, wholly apart and distinct from the air and the light around it, its dimensions seemed gigantic, the summit nearly touching the ceiling. While I gazed, a feeling of intense cold seized me. An iceberg before me could not more have chilled me; nor could the cold of an iceberg have been more purely physical. I feel convinced that it was not the cold caused by fear. As I continued to gaze, I thought-but this I cannot say with precision-that I distinguished two eyes looking down on me from the height. One moment I fancied that I distinguished them clearly, the next they seemed gone; but still two rays of a pale-blue light frequently shot through the darkness, as from the height on which I half believed, half doubted, that I had encountered the eyes.

I strove to speak-my voice utterly failed me; I could only think to myself, "Is this fear? it is not fear!" I strove to rise-in vain; I felt as if weighed down by an irresistible force. Indeed, my impression was that of an immense and overwhelming Power opposed to