of so pleasant a smile. Its affable greeting was followed by
the hasty pushing forward of a chair and a kind inquiry as to what he
could do for me.

My answer woke an immediate interest. "My name is Saunders," I said. "I
am at present an inmate of Mayor Packard's house--a house belonging to
Mr. Searles, and one which has its drawbacks."

The meaning look with which I uttered the last sentence called forth an
answering one. A flash of excitement broke over his features and he
cast a quick glance at the door which fortunately had swung to at my
entrance.

"Has--have they--has anything of a disagreeable nature happened to any
one in this house?" he asked with ill-concealed perturbation. "I did not
expect it during their tenantry, but if such has occurred, I am obliged
to Mrs. Packard for letting me know. She promised to, you see, and--"

"She promised!" I cried.

"Yes; in joke no doubt, being at the time in a very incredulous state
of mind. She vowed that she would let me know the very day she saw the
lights or encountered anything in the house, which could be construed
into a spiritual visitation. Has such a manifestation occurred?" he
eagerly inquired. "Has it? has it? Am I to add her name to the list of
those who have found the house uninhabitable?"

"That I am not ready to say," was my cautious response. "Mrs. Packard,
during the period of her husband's candidacy, would scarcely wish to
draw public attention to herself or these supernatural happenings by
any such move. I hope that what I say to you on this subject will go no
further."

"You may rest assured that it will never become public property," he
assured me. "One person I am bound to tell; but that is all. That person
is too much interested in the house's good name to spread so damaging a
story. An experience, more or less disagreeable, must have occurred to
some member of the family," continued Mr. Robinson. "Your presence here
assures me of that. What kind of experience? The--manifestations have
not always been of the same nature."

"No; and that is what so engages my attention. These experiences differ
so much in their character. Do you happen to know the exact nature of
each? I have a theory which I long to substantiate. May I trust you with
it?"

"You certainly may, Miss. No one has thought over this matter more
earnestly than I have. Not because of any superstitious tendency on my
part; rather from the lack of it. I don't believe in spirits. I d