laughed when Dan told him what had occurred.
He said he would call in the evening and remain until one in the morning
if necessary, but did not hesitate to say that what Dan had told him was
all nonsense, remarking that he knew no such tomfoolery would occur
while he was in the house.

As the hands of the clock pointed to ten, in walked the doctor. Bidding
everybody a hearty good evening, he took a seat near Esther, who had
been in bed since nine o'clock, but as yet had not been afflicted with
one of her strange attacks. The doctor felt her pulse, looked at her
tongue, and then told the family that she seemed to be suffering from
nervous excitement and had evidently received a tremendous shock of some
kind. Just as he had said these words, the pillow from under her head
left the bed, with the exception of one corner, which remained under
her head, straightened itself out as if filled with air, and then went
back to its place again. The doctor's large, blue eyes opened to their
utmost capacity, as he asked in a low tone: "Did you all see that; it
went back again."

"So it did," remarked John Teed, "but if it moves out again it will not
go back, for I intend to hold on to it, even if it did bang me over the
head last night."

John had no sooner spoken these words than out came the pillow from
under Esther's head as before. He waited until it had just started back
again, and then grasped it with both hands, and held on with all his
strength. The pillow, however, was pulled from him by some invisible
power stronger than himself. As he felt it being pulled away, his hair
actually stood on end.

"How wonderful!" exclaimed Dr. Caritte.

Just as the doctor arose from his chair, the reports under the bed
commenced, as on the previous night. The doctor looked beneath the bed,
but failed to ascertain what caused the sounds. When he walked to the
door the sounds followed him, being now produced on the floor of the
room. In about a minute after this, off went the bed clothes again, and
before they had been put back on the bed, the sound as of some person
writing on the wall with a sharp instrument was heard. All looked at the
wall whence the sound of writing came, when to their great astonishment
there was seen written, near the head of the bed, in large characters,
these words: "Esther Cox, you are mine to kill." Everybody could see the
writing plainly, and yet only a moment before nothing was to be seen but
the blank wall.