all
feel like cutting one of your ears off!"

"Slit 'em both and welcome, Mars Alfred, if you don't find I'm telling
you the Gawd's truth. I feel all tore up, root and branch, and if folks
could be scared to death, I should be stretched out this minute on the
west piazzar. I had my doubts about ghosts and sperrits, and I lost my
religion when I cotch our preacher brandin' one of my dappled
crumple-horned hefers with his i'on; but Bedney Darrington is a changed
pusson. Come en, let's see which of you will dar to laugh up yonder."

"Are you really bent on humoring this insane or idiotic vagary?" asked
Mr. Churchill, as he saw his companion take his hat and prepare to
follow the negro, who had left the room.

"His terror is genuine, and his superstitious tale is probably the
outer shell of some kernel of fact that may possibly be valuable. In
cases of circumstantial evidence, you and I know the importance of
looking carefully into the merest trifles. Come with me; you can spare
an hour."

Leaving the carriage at the front entrance of the deserted and stately
old house, the attorneys crossed the terrace and walked around to the
western veranda, preceded by Bedney, who paused at the steps, and waved
them to ascend.

"Go up and see for yourselves. I am nigh as I want to git."

The stone floor was strewn with branches of rose vine, and the pruning
shears lay open upon them, just as they had fallen from the old man's
hand. The sun had passed several degrees below the meridian, and the
shadows of the twisted iron columns were aslant eastward, but the glare
of light shone on the plate-glass door, which was rounded into an arch
at top, and extended within four inches of the surface of the floor,
where it fitted into the wooden frame. It was one wide sheet, unbroken
into panes, and on the outside dust had collected, and a family of
spiders had colonized in the lower corner, spinning their gray lace
quite across the base. It was evident that the Venetian blinds had long
been closed, and recently opened, as a line of dust and dried drift
leaves attested; and behind the glass hung the dull red, plush curtain,
almost to the floor.

Both gentlemen pressed forward, and looked in; but saw nothing.

"Hang your head kinder sideways, down so, and look up, Mars Lennox."

Mr. Dunbar changed his position, and after an instant, started back.

"Do you see it, Churchill? No hallucination; it is as plain as print,
just like the negative