A MONTH AT STRATHMAACOE 187 



and, having wished him good-night, I locked myself into my 

 room, as is my invariable custom, and was soon fast asleep. 

 How long I remained so I am not aware, but as far as I know 

 I awoke of my own accord, and on opening my eyes, lo and 

 behold! there, standing at the foot of my bed, was a woman, 

 whom I at once recognised from the description as the very 

 same that had disturbed Miss Kent so much. I admit I felt 

 somewhat creepy, while a cold shiver ran down my back, but 

 I was not long in making up my mind to ' go for ' my visitor, 

 so I jumped out of bed with the determination of laying violent 

 hands on the intruder. 



" As I approached the figure backed, with a quick but 

 steady movement, to that door there which separates the 

 General's room from mine. On my side you see there is a 

 chest of drawers, while on his there stands a dressing-table, 

 and as the figure, or whatever it was, reached the door it 

 vanished, and I was in the dark. Well ! I struck a match, 

 ascertained that the entrance to my room was still locked, and 

 then began to think. The process soon persuaded me to say 

 to myself, ' This must be what is called a nightmare, or per- 

 haps I have been dreaming and walking in my sleep — three 

 hearty meals with no exercise to speak of yesterday might 

 account for it,' so I tumbled into bed again, while the more 

 the matter was thought over the more convinced I became 

 this was the true explanation, so therefore I fell asleep, re- 

 solved to say nothing about the matter to anybody. 



" My servant called me as usual, and equally as usual I had 

 to get out of bed to unfasten the door to let him in. When I 

 was nearly dressed I cried out to Sussex, who could be heard 

 at his ablutions, ' How are you. General, this morning; a lovely 

 day for our work, is it not ? ' To this he replied, ' Oh, don't 

 ask me how I am ! I'm all to pieces, for I've seen the ghost.' 

 ' Really, and what was it like ? ' I called back ; and then. Gee, 

 I can assure you he described to me exactly the very same 

 figure that I had chased out of my room apparently into his ! 



