daft,
man;" for the big Highlander was trembling like a child.

"Whisht! Dinna speak o't. It was my lord's wraith, ye ken. It just
keekit in and slippit awa."

"Folly! I saw nothing."

"But I think I did," said Lord Cairnforth.

"Hear him! Ay, he saw't his ain sel. Then it maun be true. Oh my dear
lord!"

Poor Malcolm fell on his knees by the earl's little chair in such
agitation that Mr. Cardross looked up from his book, and Helen from her
peaceful needle-work, which was rarely out of her active hands.

"He thinks he has seen his master's wraith; and because the earl signed
his will this morning, he is sure to die, especially as Lord Cairnforth
saw the same thing himself. Will you say, my lord, what you did see?"

"Mr. Menteith, I believe I saw a man peering in at that window."

"It wasna a man--it was a speerit," moaned Malcolm. "My lord's
wraith, for sure."

"I don't think so, Malcolm; for it was a tall, thin figure that moved
about lightly and airily--was come and gone in a moment. Not very
like my wraith, unless wraith of myself as I might have been."

The little party were silent till Helen said,

"What do you think it was, then?"

"Certainly a man, made of honest flesh and blood, though not much of
either, for he was excessively thin and sickly-looking. He just
'keerkit in,' as Malcolm says, and disappeared."

"What an odd circumstance!" said Mr. Menteith.

"Not a robber, I trust. I am much more afraid of robbers than of
ghosts."

"We never rob at Cairnforth; we are very honest people here. No, I
think it is far likelier to be one of those stray tourists who are
brought here by the steamers. They sometimes take great liberties,
wandering into the Castle grounds, and perhaps one of them thought he
might as well come and stare in at my windows."

"I hope he was English; I should not like a Scotsman to do such a rude
thing," cried Helen, indignantly.

Lord Cairnforth laughed at her impulsiveness. There was much of the
child nature mingled in Helen's gravity and wisdom, and she sometimes
did both speak and act from impulse--especially generous and kindly
impulse--as hastily and unthinkingly as a child.

"Well, Malcolm, the only way to settle this difficulty is to search the
house and grounds. Take a good thick stick and a lantern, and whatever
you find--be it tourist or burglar, man or spirit--bring him at
once to me."

And then the little group waited, laughing among themselves