SOME EXPLANATION OF THE PHENOMENA 



previous night, he had tried to believe that all he had seen 

 and heard was due to natural causes, he had always felt 

 there was something strange and mysterious taking place. 



" ' We never used his room again, and left the house 

 ourselves shortly afterwards, for during the last few days 

 we remained in it after he had gone, we used to hear 

 strange noises in the loft, and once- or twice, happening 

 to be awake between the hours of eleven and twelve, I 

 heard the sound of those awful footsteps tramping loudly 

 overhead. 



" * The mystery was never solved, so far as I am aware, 

 but some five years later, long after I had left that station, 

 I was once going home on furlough, and amongst the 

 passengers in the steamer, was an old planter and his wife, 

 who had lived at one time in the district. 



" ' I got to know them later, and in course of conversation 

 discovered that many years ago they had shared that 

 house with some friends another married couple who 

 had occupied that particular room, and of whom before 

 knowing anything of my story they told me this sad tale. 



" ' It appeared that their friend was also a tea planter, 

 employed on a " garden " in the plains, but he used to come 

 up occasionally for week-ends. Once during his absence 

 his wife was taken seriously ill, and before he could be 

 summoned, died suddenly during the night. 



" ' The next evening the husband, returning quite un- 

 expectedly, having heard nothing of his wife's illness, much 

 less of her death, was riding quietly up to the house when 

 he met the funeral procession coming down the hill ! 



" ' Strangely enough the awful suddenness of the blow 

 seemed to have no immediate effect, for although stunned 

 for the moment, he appeared to recover, and was able 

 to follow the body to the grave, but on his returning to 

 the house his friends could see that his mind was evidently 

 paralysed from the shock. 



" 'They did their best to console him, but refusing to 

 be comforted he begged to be left alone, and went out on 

 to the verandah, where they heard him tramping up and 

 down dressed as he was, and with heavy riding boots on, 

 till late into the night. 



" ' At length, about eleven o'clock, being persuaded to 



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