g-room windows was simply magnificent, including sea as well
as moor.

Curtainless windows, with sashes thrown wide open, and chilly linoleum
to replace warm carpets, were rather a trial to the uninitiated, early
in January, with deep snow on the ground and fires none too plentiful.
In addition to these drawbacks I had another personal one. Coming in the
middle of the winter, it was naturally Hobson's choice as regarded the
bedrooms. All the best and warmest aspects had been appropriated in the
autumn, and an ugly little room, with cold, west outlook and depressing,
mustard-coloured distempered walls, fell to my lot.

Yet even these facts did not sufficiently account for the extremely
depressing effect of that room upon me.

"Has anyone died here lately?" was my first and natural query in a house
of this kind.

I had heard the girls casually mention two gentlemen patients who had
been in the house the previous year--one of these had gone into rooms in
a neighbouring town with his nurse. I did not hear what had become of
the other one, and had not sufficient curiosity to ask the question.

My friend reassured me by saying she was sure no one had died recently
in _my_ room. She had only lately come to the house herself, as I knew;
having been matron for some years of a small hospital in the country.

"The second poor gentleman, who was a patient here, did die in the
house, I believe, but that was months ago," she said, "and I understand
that he had Laura Pearce's room," mentioning one of the girls, who had a
specially cheerful apartment. It seemed quite natural that a sick man,
confined to his bed, should occupy a large and sunny room, so I thought
no more of the matter. Still, I was always conscious of an unpleasant
and sad atmosphere in my own room, and took occasion one day to ask the
lady at the head of the establishment whether she knew anything of the
predecessors in the house.

It struck me that the psychic atmosphere in my room might be connected
with some of _them_.

Miss Hunter replied laughingly: "I can't tell you anything about them,
for the very good reason that they don't exist. _I_ am the first tenant
of this house. It was only built two years ago, and remained vacant for
the first twelve months."

Then I told her very cautiously of my feeling about my room, and that I
had supposed it might have to do with someone who had slept there before
she took the house.

Two or three of the young girls we