hat of giving the
creditors possession. The will is here," said he, taking out a paper,
neatly folded and mounted with red tape, from a bureau. "It is
necessarily brief, and merely enumerates the names of the mortgagees and
amounts owing. I was unfortunately the principal creditor, having been a
considerable loser from my wish to preserve the property inviolate. For
the credit of the family I paid off the remaining incumbrances, and the
estate has lapsed to me as the lawful possessor."

He placed the document in my hands. I read in it a very technical
tribute of testamentary gratitude to M---- S----, Esq., styled therein
"beloved brother;" and a slight mention of my name, but no bequest, save
that of recommending me to the kindness of my relative, in case it
should please Heaven to send me once more to my native shores. I was
aware he would be on the watch; guarding, therefore, against any
expression of my feelings, I eagerly perused the deed, and with a sigh,
which he would naturally attribute to any cause but the real one, I
returned it into his hands.

"I find," said he, "from your letter received on the 23d current, that
you are not making a long stay in this neighbourhood. It is better,
perhaps, that you should not. The old house is sadly out of repair.
Three years ago next May, David Gidlow, the tenant under lease from me,
left it, and I have not yet been able to meet with another occupant
fully to my satisfaction; indeed, I have some intention of pulling down
the house and disposing of the materials."

"Pulling it down!" I exclaimed, with indignation.

"Yes; that is, it is so untenantable--so--what shall I call it?--that
nobody cares to live there."

"I hope it is not haunted?"

"Haunted!" exclaimed he, surveying me with a severe and scrutinising
glance. "What should have put that into your head?"

I was afraid I had said too much; and anxious to allay the suspicion I
saw gathering in his countenance--"Nay, uncle," I quickly rejoined; "but
you seemed so afraid of speaking out upon the matter that I thought
there must needs be a ghost at the bottom of it."

"As for that," said he, carelessly; "the foolish farmer and his wife did
hint something of the sort; but it is well known that I pay no attention
to such tales. The long and the short of it, I fancy, was, that they
were tired of their bargain, and wanted me to take it off their hands."

Here honest Gilbert entered, to say that Mr L----, the attorney,