n up her hand, though it held one
exceedingly strong trump. That woman in furs and diamonds.... Why had
she not insisted on the existence of her own eyes and held her ground,
demanding whence that woman came and what she did on Garrison Hill at
such an hour?

The longer Miss Gabriel thought of it--and she thought of it all the
next day--the more firmly she refused to believe herself the victim of
an hallucination. She lived frugally; her nerves and digestion were
alike in excellent order; in all her life she had never suffered from
faintness, and but once or twice from a headache. The keenness of her
eyesight was notorious, and she had a healthy contempt for anyone who
believed in ghosts.... Moreover, Charlotte Pope, though inclined now to
hedge about it, had undoubtedly seen the apparition.

"I wish, Elizabeth, you could find something else to talk about,"
pleaded Mrs. Pope, with a shiver. "You and I know everyone on the
Islands and there's no one in the least like--like what we saw; while
as for her jewels, they must have cost hundreds, if they were real."

"Ha!" exclaimed Miss Gabriel, with a decided sniff.

"I don't mean 'real' in that sense, Elizabeth; and I put it to you,
Where could she have come from?"

Miss Gabriel could not answer this, nor did she try. "Then you _did_
see her?" she was content to say.

"I--I thought I did."

"And I, Charlotte, am positive you did. Have you told your husband
about it?"

"Not yet."

"Don't, then. Between ourselves, my dear Charlotte, an idea has
occurred to me, and I fancy that if Major Vigoureux thinks he can
delude me with his painted hussies he will find himself mistaken!"

More, for the moment, Miss Gabriel would not disclose. But it is to be
feared that her design occupied her thoughts in church next morning to
the detriment of her spiritual benefit. The good folk of Garland Town
had--and still have--a pleasant custom of lingering outside the church
porch for a few minutes after service to exchange greetings and a
little mild gossip with their neighbours; and to Mr. and Mrs. Pope,
thus lingering, Miss Gabriel attached herself with an air that meant
business.

"Fine morning," said Miss Gabriel.

"The weather," assented Mr. Pope, clearing his throat, "is quite
remarkable for the time of year. As I was observing to Mrs. Fossell, a
moment ago, we might be in August month. Whether we attribute it or not
to the influence of the Gulf Stream, in the matter of tempe