by a curious
clanging sound, immediately beneath us; and, as if by mutual consent, we
both held our breath and listened.

"The footsteps moved on, and we presently heard them begin to ascend the
stone steps leading to the adjoining room. Up, up, up, they came, until,
having reached the summit, they paused. Then we heard the huge, heavy
bolts of the fast-closed door shoot back with a sonorous clash. So far I
had been rather more puzzled than frightened, and the idea of ghosts had
not entered my mind, but when I heard the door--the door which I knew to
be so securely fastened from the inside--thus opened, a great fear swept
over me, and I prayed Heaven to save us from what might ensue.

"Several people, talking rapidly in gruff voices, now entered the room,
and we distinctly heard the jingling of spurs and the rattling of sword
scabbards coming to us distinctly through the cracks of the door.

"I was so paralysed with fear that I could do nothing. I could neither
speak nor move, and my very soul was concentrated in one great, sickly
dread, one awful anticipation that the intruders would burst into our
room, and, before our very eyes, perform unthinkable horrors.

"To my immeasurable relief, however, this did not happen. The footsteps,
as far as I could judge, advanced into the middle of the room--there was
a ghastly suggestion of a scuffle, of a smothered cry, a gurgle; and the
mailed feet then retired whence they had come, dragging with them some
heavy load which bumped, bumped, bumped down the stairs and into the
cellar. Then a brief silence followed, abruptly broken by the sound of a
girlish voice, which, though beautifully tintinnabulous, was unearthly,
and full of suggestions so sinister and blood-curdling, that the fetters
which had hitherto held me tongue-tied snapped asunder, and I was able
to give vent to my terror in words. The instant I did so the singing
ceased, all was still, and not another sound disturbed us till morning.

"We got up as soon as we dared and found the door at the head of the
dungeon steps barred and bolted as usual, while the heavy and antique
furniture in the apartment showed no sign of having been disturbed.

"On the following night my husband sat up in the room adjoining our
bedroom, to see if there would be a repetition of what had taken place
the night before, but nothing occurred, and we never heard the noises
again.

"That is one experience. The other, though not our own, was al