that
I'll doubt my sanity."

Alsop cleared his throat.

"A ghost story," he said with an attempt at a laugh. "Fact is, Marvin
and I and some of the servants are haunted by a veiled woman."

Nora came closer. The inspector turned back to the fire a little
contemptuously. But Garth had no doubt that this hard-headed business
man was serious.

"Go on," he said softly. "You think this ghost is connected with a
dangerous conspiracy against you?"

"I can only tell you facts and let you judge," Alsop answered. "I
daresay you know about my house on the river near the city line. It is
lonely for that neighbourhood, and very old. I've always heard stories
about a ghost, a veiled woman on the upper floor--some connection with
the suicide of a beautiful girl long ago. You know the sort of thing.
It's always told about old houses. The point is, I saw that veiled woman
last night, and she gave me rather too much evidence of spirituality."

"Why do you connect a ghost with anarchists?" the inspector demanded.

"Because," Alsop answered, perfectly seriously, "I believe the thing was
after my papers."

Garth laughed outright.

"Then why suspect your visitor of being a ghost?"

"Because," Alsop said patiently, "this visitor had every appearance of
walking through a locked door."

Nora alone was thoroughly impressed.

"Tell us," she urged.

"I've a safe in my room," Alsop said, "and as an extra precaution, when
I've had important papers at the house, I've locked my door. I went
upstairs late last night. There was no light in the upper hall, but a
glow came from the lamps downstairs. In this sort of radiance I saw the
figure of a woman, clothed in white, her face hidden behind a white
veil, come apparently from my room, cross the hall, and disappear. I
cried out. I sprang for the door. It was locked. Marvin and I searched
the house. My daughters are in Florida. The only women in the place were
servants. There seemed no way in or out of the house without the
collusion of one of these. And I've had them a long time. It's hard to
suspect them. Besides, Marvin has had much the same experience. Tell
them, Arthur."

"As a motive," Marvin said slowly, "I might mention the fact that I
often take my work upstairs--letters of Mr. Alsop's to answer,
statements to make out. The first time the thing happened was Thursday
night. It must have been after midnight. I was in bed. I awakened with
that uncomfortable feeling of being no long