me up; a star or two shone over us in the sky, looking down
as if surprised at our strange proceedings. Dr. Simson did nothing but
utter subdued laughs under his breath. "I thought as much," he said. "It
is just the same with tables and all other kinds of ghostly apparatus; a
sceptic's presence stops everything. When I am present nothing ever comes
off. How long do you think it will be necessary to stay here? Oh, I don't
complain; only when _you_ are satisfied, _I_ am--quite."

I will not deny that I was disappointed beyond measure by this result. It
made me look like a credulous fool. It gave the Doctor such a pull over
me as nothing else could. I should point all his morals for years to
come; and his materialism, his scepticism, would be increased beyond
endurance. "It seems, indeed," I said, "that there is to be no--"
"Manifestation," he said, laughing; "that is what all the mediums say. No
manifestations, in consequence of the presence of an unbeliever." His
laugh sounded very uncomfortable to me in the silence; and it was now
near midnight. But that laugh seemed the signal; before it died away the
moaning we had heard before was resumed. It started from some distance
off, and came towards us, nearer and nearer, like some one walking along
and moaning to himself. There could be no idea now that it was a hare
caught in a trap. The approach was slow, like that of a weak person, with
little halts and pauses. We heard it coming along the grass straight
towards the vacant door-way. Simson had been a little startled by the
first sound. He said hastily, "That child has no business to be out so
late." But he felt, as well as I, that this was no child's voice. As it
came nearer, he grew silent, and, going to the door-way with his taper,
stood looking out towards the sound. The taper being unprotected blew
about in the night air, though there was scarcely any wind. I threw the
light of my lantern steady and white across the same space. It was in a
blaze of light in the midst of the blackness. A little icy thrill had
gone over me at the first sound, but as it came close, I confess that my
only feeling was satisfaction. The scoffer could scoff no more. The light
touched his own face, and showed a very perplexed countenance. If he was
afraid, he concealed it with great success, but he was perplexed. And
then all that had happened on the previous night was enacted once more.
It fell strangely upon me with a sense of repetition. Eve