diately to follow them.

"Mr. Verner, I do not hold good with the policy which seems to prevail,
of keeping this matter from you," he said, in a confidential tone. "I
cannot see the expediency of it in any way. It is not Rachel's Frost's
ghost that is said to be terrifying people."

"Whose then?" asked Lionel.

"Frederick Massingbird's."

Lionel paused, as if his ears deceived him.

"_Whose_?" he repeated.

"Frederick Massingbird's."

"How perfectly absurd!" he presently exclaimed.

"True," said Mr. Bourne. "So absurd that, were it not for a circumstance
which has happened to-night, I scarcely think I should have brought
myself to repeat it. My conviction is, that some person bearing an
extraordinary resemblance to Frederick Massingbird is walking about to
terrify the neighbourhood."

"I should think there's not another face living, that bears a
resemblance to Fred Massingbird's," observed Lionel. "How have you heard
this?"

"The first to tell me of it was old Matthew Frost. He saw him plainly,
believing it to be Frederick Massingbird's spirit--although he had never
believed in spirits before. Dan Duff holds to it that _he_ saw it; and
now Alice Hook; besides others. I turned a deaf ear to all, Mr. Verner;
but to-night I met one so like Frederick Massingbird that, were
Massingbird not dead, I could have sworn it was himself. It was
wondrously like him, even to the mark on the cheek."

"I never heard such a tale!" uttered Lionel.

"That is precisely what I said--until to-night. I assure you the
resemblance is so great, that if we have all female Deerham in fits, I
shall not wonder. It strikes me--it is the only solution I can come
to--that some one is personating Frederick Massingbird for the purpose
of a mischievous joke--though how they get up the resemblance is another
thing. Let me advise you to see into it, Mr. Verner."

Mr. Bitterworth and Jan were turning round in front, waiting; and the
vicar hastened on, leaving Lionel glued to the spot where he stood.

CHAPTER LIV.

MRS. DUFF'S BILL.

Peal! peal! peal! came the sound of the night-bell at Jan's window as he
lay in bed. For Jan had caused the night-bell to be hung there since he
was factotum. "Where's the good of waking up the house?" remarked Jan;
and he made the alteration.

Jan got up with the first sound, and put his head out at the window.
Upon which, Hook--for he was the applicant--advanced. Jan's window
being, as you may reme