he reader may
draw his own inference.

Another surprising circumstance--my watch was restored to the table from
which it had been so mysteriously withdrawn; but it had stopped at the
very moment it was so withdrawn; nor, despite all the skill of the
watchmaker, has it ever gone since--that is, it will go in a strange
erratic way for a few hours, and then come to a dead stop--it is
worthless.

Nothing more chanced for the rest of the night. Nor, indeed, had I long
to wait before the dawn broke. Nor till it was broad daylight did I quit
the haunted house. Before I did so, I revisited the little blind room in
which my servant and myself had been for a time imprisoned. I had a
strong impression--for which I could not account--that from that room
had originated the mechanism of the phenomena--if I may use the
term--which had been experienced in my chamber. And though I entered it
now in the clear day, with the sun peering through the filmy window, I
still felt, as I stood on its floors, the creep of the horror which I
had first there experienced the night before, and which had been so
aggravated by what had passed in my own chamber. I could not, indeed,
bear to stay more than half a minute within those walls. I descended the
stairs, and again I heard the footfall before me; and when I opened the
street door, I thought I could distinguish a very low laugh. I gained my
own house, expecting to find my runaway servant there. But he had not
presented himself, nor did I hear more of him for three days, when I
received a letter from him, dated from Liverpool to this effect:

"Honored Sir:--I humbly entreat your pardon,
though I can scarcely hope that you will think
that I deserve it, unless--which Heaven
forbid!--you saw what I did. I feel that it will
be years before I can recover myself; and as to
being fit for service, it is out of the question.
I am therefore going to my brother-in-law at
Melbourne. The ship sails tomorrow. Perhaps the
long voyage may set me up. I do nothing now but
start and tremble, and fancy It is behind me. I
humbly beg you, honored sir, to order my clothes,
and whatever wages are due to me, to be sent to my
mother's, at Walworth--John knows her address."

The letter ended with additional apologies, somewhat incoherent, and
explanatory details as to effects that had been un