. I need not say that I made careful search of every cranny
about the handsome house and offices; and if there was a secret passage
or a door in the wall anywhere, it escaped me. We had peace for a
fortnight, and then the annoyance recommenced.

"Angela's nerve was shaken at last, and she began to whisper, 'There are
more things in heaven and earth, Horatio'--"

"John, you are making a story!" interrupted Mrs. Henniker.

"It is every word true. I am coming to an end. Angela, in spite of her
disclaimer, _did_ believe in a ghost in a black bonnet. Charlotte
believed in her, but did not care about her ghostship. The nurse and
cook and housemaid declared they were meeting the horrible appearance
constantly; and they were all three in a mortal funk. As to the
children, they would not leave off clinging to their mother, and
fretting and trembling when evening came. The milkman, the baker and the
butcher, all told the servants that we would not be long at the Hall,
for nobody ever remained more than a month or two. This was cheerful and
encouraging for me!"

"But you had never seen the charming old woman all this time?"

"No; but I saw her in the broad daylight. I had a good long look at her,
and a more diabolical face I never saw--no, not even in the dock. I was
writing letters in the study about twelve o'clock one morning, when I
suddenly looked up, to see the appearance that had excited such a
turmoil in my family standing near the table. A frightful face--a
short-set woman dressed in black--gown, shawl, bonnet--this was the
impression I received. But she looked quite human--quite everyday--there
was nothing ghostly in her air--only the evil face curdled one's blood.
I stared at her, and then I took up a folded newspaper and threw it at
her. My motive in so doing was to frighten her who had frightened my
wife so much. Courtesy such a creature need not expect from me, being,
as her villainous countenance proved, one of the criminal class. The
newspaper fell upon the floor, after apparently going through the
figure, and there was a vacuum where it had been. I was not much shaken,
however, although my theory of a human trickster dressed like a woman
seemed overturned."

"Did you tell Mrs. Henniker what you had seen?"

"Naturally I did. At this period we talked of nothing else. She saw the
apparition twice herself. Once she entered our dressing-room and saw the
figure bending over a sleeping child (it faded as she looked