erceptible glimmer, came from the logs; hence I had to depend for my
vision on the soft white glow that stole in through the trellised
window-panes.

"The chair creaked again, and at the back of it, and at a distance of
about four feet from the ground, I encountered the steady glare of two
long, pale, and wholly evil eyes, that regarded me with a malevolency
that held me spellbound; my terror being augmented by my failure to
detect any other features saving the eyes, and only a vague Something
which I took for a body.

"I remained in a sitting posture for many minutes without being able to
remove my gaze, and when I did look away, I instinctively felt that the
eyes were still regarding me, and that the Something, of which the eyes
were a part, was waiting for an opportunity to creep from its
hiding-place and pounce upon me.

"This is, I think, what would have happened had it not been for the very
opportune arrival of the Killington Waits, who, bursting out with a
terrific and discordant version of 'The Mistletoe Bough,' which, by the
way, is somewhat inexplicably regarded as appropriate to the festive
season, effectually broke the superphysical spell, and when I looked
again at the chair, the eyes had gone.

"Feeling quite secure now, I lay down, and, in spite of the many
interruptions, managed to secure a tolerably good night's sleep.

"At breakfast everyone was most anxious to know if I had seen the ghost,
but I held my tongue. The spirit of adventure had been rekindled in me,
my sporting instinct had returned, and I was ready and eager to see the
phenomena again; but until I had done so, and had put it to one or two
tests, I decided to say nothing about it.

"The day passed pleasantly--how could it be otherwise in William
Achrow's admirably appointed household?--and the night found me once
again alone in my sepulchral bed-chamber.

"This time I did not get into bed, but took my seat in an easy-chair by
the fire (which I took care was well replenished with fuel), my face
turned in the direction of the spot where the eyes had appeared. The
weather was inclined to be boisterous, and frequent gusts of wind,
rumbling and moaning through the long and gloomy aisle of the avenue,
plundered the trees of the loose-hanging snow and hurled it in fleecy
clouds against the walls and windows.

"I had been sitting there about an hour when I suddenly felt I was no
longer alone; a peculiarly cold tremor, that was not, I feel