t; while the walls were still painted with
courtly scenes, and the inlaid wooden floor gave a decency which
everywhere else had been destroyed by the mouldering boards.

"I say, it would be fun to light a fire some time," said Guy. "This is
just the room for us."

"It's rather a frightening room," said Pauline, doubtfully.

"Dearest, you insist on being frightened by everything this afternoon,"
he answered.

"No, but this room is frightening, Guy," she persisted. "This seems so
near to being lived in by dead people."

"And what can dead people do to you and me?" he asked, with that
sidelong mocking smile which she half disliked, half loved.

Pauline looked back over her shoulder once; then she came across to
where he invited her to sit in the window-bay.

"I ought to have brought my diamond pencil," he said. "This is such a
window for mottoes. Why, I declare! Somebody has scrawled one. Look,
Pauline. Pauline, look! _1770. R. G. P. F._ inside a heart. Oh, what a
pity it wasn't _P. G._ for Pauline Grey. Still, the _G_ can stand for
Guy. Oh, really, I think it's an extraordinary coincidence! _P. F.?_ We
can find out which of the Fentons that was. We'll look up in the history
of the family. Darling, I am so glad we came to this little room. Think
of those lovers who sat here once like us. Pauline, it makes me cherish
you so."

She sat upon his knees, because the window-seat was dusty, and because
in this place of fled lovers she wanted to be held closely to his heart.

The wind boomed and moaned, and the sun breaking through the clouds lit
up the walls with a wild yellow light.

Suddenly Pauline drew away from his arms.

"Shadows went by the window," she cried. "Guy, I feel afraid. I feel
afraid. There's a footstep."

She was lily-white whose cheeks had but now been burning so fiercely.

"Nonsense," he replied, half roughly. "It was that burst of sunshine."

"Guy, there were shadows. Hark!"

She nearly screamed, because footsteps were going down the stairs of the
empty house.

"It must have been the caretaker," said Guy.

"I saw a white person. Guy, never, never let us come here again."

"You don't seriously think you saw a ghost?" he asked.

"Guy, how do I know? Come away into the air. We should never have come
here. Oh, this room! I feel as if I should faint."

"I'll see who it was," said Guy, springing up.

"No, don't leave me. Wait for me. I'll come with you."

They hurried down the stairs, an