ton, who, to the
surprise of every one except the master of the Hall, walked in, the last
guest of all.

"You look surprised, Miss Danton," he said, as they shook hands. "Did
not the Captain tell you I was coming?"

"Not a word."

"I returned to-day, knowing nothing of the house-warming. The Captain
met me, and, with his customary hospitality, insisted on my coming."

"We are very glad he has done so. Your sister tried to find you when we
were in--good Heaven! what is that?"

It was a sudden, startled scream, that made all pause who were standing
near. Butler Thomas appeared at the moment, flurried and in haste.

"What's the matter?" asked Captain Danton; and the startled faces of his
guests reiterated the question. "Who cried out?"

"Old Margery, sir. She's seen a ghost!"

"Seen what?"

"A ghost, sir; out in the tamarack walk?--She's fell down in a fit in
the hall."

There was a little chorus of startled exclamations from the ladies.
Captain Danton came forward, his florid face changing to white; and
Kate, all her colour gone, dropped her partner's arm.

"Come with me, Doctor Danton," he said. "Yes, Kate, you too. My friends,
do not let this foolish affair disturb you. Excuse us for a few moments,
and pray go on as if nothing had happened."

They left the ball-room together. The music, that had stopped, resumed;
dancing recommenced, and "all went merry as a marriage-bell." There was
only one, perhaps, who thought seriously of what had taken place. Grace,
standing near the door talking to an elderly major from the city, heard
Thomas' last words to his master as they went out.

"Ogden says it was him she seen, but Margery won't listen to him. Ogden
says he was out in the tamarack walk, and she mistook him in the
moonlight for a ghost."

Grace's thoughts went back to the night when she had seen the mysterious
walker under the tameracks. No, it was not Ogden, that old Margery had
seen, else Captain Danton and his daughter would not have worn such pale
and startled faces going out.

It was not Ogden, and it was not a ghost; but whose ghost did Margery
take it to be? The apparition in the tamarack walk must have resembled
some one she knew and now thought to be dead, else why should she think
it a spirit at all?

The whiskered major, who took Grace for one of the Captain's daughter's,
and was slightly _ebris_, found her very _distraite_ all of a sudden,
and answering his questions vaguely and at random.