n Paris, while yet we clearly knew and felt, each and every of
us, that it was all the doings of that phantom fourth.

"One thing, however, we all agreed to do--to leave Paris by the first
train.

"To fortify ourselves for the coming journey, we went to indulge in the
luxury of a farewell breakfast at Desire Beaurain's. Of course we
emptied a few bottles to our reconciliation. I do not exactly remember
how many, but this I _do_ remember, that our irrepressible incubus
walked in again, and took his place in the midst of us rather sooner
even than he had been wont to do; and he never left us from that time to
the moment of our landing at Dover harbor, when he took his, I hope and
trust final, departure with a ghastly grin.

"I dare say you must have thought us a most noisy and obstreperous lot:
well, with my hand on my heart, I can assure you, on my conscience,
that a quieter and milder set of fellows than us three you are not
likely to find on this or the other side the Channel. But for that
mysterious phantom fourth----"

Here the whistle sounded, and the guard came up to us with a hurried,
"Now then, gents, take your seats, please; train is off in half a
minnit!"

"What can have become of Topp and Jack Hobson?" muttered my new friend,
looking around him with eager scrutiny. "I should not wonder if they
were still refreshing." And he started off in the direction of the
refreshment-room.

I took my seat. Immediately after the train whirled off. I cannot say
whether the three were left behind; all I know is that I did not see
them get out at London Bridge.

Remembering, however, that the appalling secret of the supernatural
visitation which had thus harassed my three fellow-travellers had been
confided to me under the impression that I might be likely to find a
solution of the mystery, I have ever since deeply pondered thereon.

Shallow thinkers, and sneerers uncharitably given, may, from a
consideration of the times, places, and circumstances at and under which
the abnormal phenomena here recited were stated to have been observed,
be led to attribute them simply to the promptings and imaginings of
brains overheated by excessive indulgence in spirituous liquors. But I,
striving to be mindful always of the great scriptural injunction to
judge not, lest we be judged, and opportunely remembering my friend
O'Kweene's learned dissertation above alluded to, feel disposed to
pronounce the apparition of the phantom of t