ere an ill preparation for our nocturnal
visit to the haunted house. As the rusty avenue-gate swung back with a
hoarse creak I was less inclined than ever for the adventure.

But Tim was not to be hindered, and paced sturdily down the long avenue,
summoning me to keep close and hold my tongue, for fear any one might be
within earshot.

Kilgorman was a big, irregular mansion of several stories, with some
pretensions to architecture, and space enough within its rambling walls
to quarter a ship's company. In front a field of long, rank grass
stretched up to the very doorway, having long since overgrown the old
carriage-drive. In the rear was a swampy bog, out of which the house
seemed to rise like a castle out of a moat. On either side gaunt trees
crowded, overhanging the chimneys with their creaking boughs. There was
no sound but the drip of the water from the roof, and the sobbing of the
breeze among the trees, and now and again the hoot of an owl across the
swamp which set me shivering.

Tim boldly marched up to the front door and tried it. It was fast and
padlocked. The windows on the ground-floor were closely shuttered and
equally secure.

We groped our way round to the rear, keeping close to the wall to avoid
the water. But here, too, all was fast; nor was there a sign of any one
having been near the place for years. My hopes began to rise as Tim's
fell.

"Why not come by daylight?" said I.

"Why not get in, now we are here?" said Tim--"unless you're afraid."

"Who's afraid?" said I, shaking the window-frame till it rattled again.

"Come to the yard," said Tim. "There'll be a ladder there, I warrant."

So we felt our way back to the side on which abutted the stable-yard,
and there, sure enough, lay a crazy ladder against the wall. It took
our united strength to lift it. To my horror, Tim suggested putting it
to the window that overlooked the hall-door--that fatal window from
which the poor lady had taken her last look in life.

I would fain have moved it elsewhere, but he was obstinate. The top of
the porch was flat, and we could stand there better than anywhere else.
So--Tim first, I next--we clambered cautiously up, and stepped on to the
ledge. The window was fast like the rest, but it was not shuttered, and
Tim boldly attacked the pane nearest to the catch with his elbow. What
a hideous noise it made as it shivered inwards and fell with a smash on
the floor!

"Mind now," said Tim, as he