atmosphere accounted for my
odd impression that a table and chair--between my bed and the
window--were being moved.

The following night (4th February), however, this fact was indisputable.
I had heard both my neighbours retire to bed by ten P.M., as so many do
who have been skating and tobogganing all day long. I had sat up reading
for half-an-hour beyond this, and went to bed at eleven P.M., by which
time there was perfect silence in the hotel, as no special entertainment
was going on.

Very shortly, this movement of the furniture began again, unmistakably
in my room this time. Curiously enough, it did not frighten me at all
nor suggest burglars (a far greater terror to me than ghosts!). I cannot
at this distance of time remember _why_ the idea of Mr Myers should have
come to me in connection with these noises; but I am quite certain that
I _did_ think of him at the time, and fully expected his name to be
given, when I asked if anyone wished to speak to me and were trying to
attract my attention by moving the furniture about.

It was greatly to my surprise, therefore, that the name of _Gifford_ was
given. I may here note that this was the real name given to me. He said
he was a judge, one who had lived fifty or sixty years previously, that
he had once unintentionally condemned an innocent man to be hanged, and
he was evidently still greatly perturbed about this, and begged for my
prayers.

All this put Mr Myers entirely out of my head--_unfortunately_, as
events proved.

I had some further talk with Judge Gifford, but do not remember it in
detail.

Next morning I told my cousin of my experience, and on the evening of
the following day mentioned it in the presence of some neighbours at
_table d'hote_ who had introduced psychic subjects to us.

This gentleman and his wife were both impressed, and yet incredulous,
and when my cousin laughingly declared that "Gifford had come to _her_
the second night, but that she told him she was too tired out to listen
to him," we all three supposed that she was turning the whole subject
into ridicule. This would have been quite characteristic of her,
although I have always thought she had some mediumistic faculty, and was
one of the many people whom I should advise to leave these matters
alone. I was the more convinced that she was merely "chaffing" on this
occasion, because when I warned our acquaintances of her powers of
exaggeration in "making fun" of things, she said not