le, who was the owner of
Exwood, committed suicide there under the most tragical circumstances,
and most certainly haunts the place."

"Mrs. Hatch-Mallard has evidently never read _Popple's County History_,"
said Mrs. Dole icily, "or she would know that the Cullumpton ghost has a
wealth of evidence behind it--"

"Oh, Popple!" exclaimed Mrs. Hatch-Mallard scornfully; "any rubbishy old
story is good enough for him. Popple, indeed! Now my uncle's ghost was
seen by a Rural Dean, who was also a Justice of the Peace. I should
think that would be good enough testimony for any one. Mrs. Norbury, I
shall take it as a deliberate personal affront if your clairvoyante
friend sees any other ghost except that of my uncle."

"I daresay she won't see anything at all; she never has yet, you know,"
said Mrs. Norbury hopefully.

"It was a most unfortunate topic for me to have broached," she lamented
afterwards to the owner of the chinchilla voice; "Exwood belongs to Mrs.
Hatch-Mallard, and we've only got it on a short lease. A nephew of hers
has been wanting to live there for some time, and if we offend her in any
way she'll refuse to renew the lease. I sometimes think these garden-
parties are a mistake."

The Norburys played bridge for the next three nights till nearly one
o'clock; they did not care for the game, but it reduced the time at their
guest's disposal for undesirable ghostly visitations.

"Miss Bleek is not likely to be in a frame of mind to see ghosts," said
Hugo Norbury, "if she goes to bed with her brain awhirl with royal spades
and no trumps and grand slams."

"I've talked to her for hours about Mrs. Hatch-Mallard's uncle," said his
wife, "and pointed out the exact spot where he killed himself, and
invented all sorts of impressive details, and I've found an old portrait
of Lord John Russell and put it in her room, and told her that it's
supposed to be a picture of the uncle in middle age. If Ada does see a
ghost at all it certainly ought to be old Hatch-Mallard's. At any rate,
we've done our best."

The precautions were in vain. On the third morning of her stay Ada Bleek
came down late to breakfast, her eyes looking very tired, but ablaze with
excitement, her hair done anyhow, and a large brown volume hugged under
her arm.

"At last I've seen something supernatural!" she exclaimed, and gave Mrs.
Norbury a fervent kiss, as though in gratitude for the opportunity
afforded her.

"A ghost!" cried Mrs. No