STEVENSON'S GHOST in 



study, at his request, the signal to " cease firing " having 

 been given. We stayed there five or ten minutes and then 

 departed, telling him not to be so foolish, and nothing more 

 was done that night, for there had not been time enough 

 to elaborate the scheme fully. The following night, 

 however, we had arranged that the rapping and groaning 

 should occur when we were in Stevenson's study, if he 

 summoned us there, as doubtless he would, when disturbed. 

 All other preparations were the same, and again Stevenson 

 called in our aid. With overweening scepticism we 

 followed him, and then perhaps overdid the semblance 

 of surprise when raps came under our feet : but the care- 

 fully prepared impromptu was that we should offer at 

 once to tear up the floor of Stevenson's study and inspect 

 what was beneath. He gratefully accepted the offer, and 

 assisted in this haymaking of his own room. Arbuthnot 

 had, of course, been signalled to put out his light, and 

 though we probed all about and looked down under 

 Stevenson's floor there was, of course, no suspicious object 

 to be found. 



Then we assisted to replace the floor and the carpet, 

 Stevenson still thanking us for our kindness, and we 

 were just about leaving him ostensibly when again, as 

 signalled, came rap, rap and groans under the floor. 



Stevenson sprang on a chair in absolute horror, and we 

 all showed such alarm as we could fabricate. Someone 

 ran to bring " Mindar," the house butler, and he came 

 with much assurance, as if he would soon settle the trouble, 

 but when he stood in the room and there came a rap and 

 groan under his feet, he too sprang aloft and said : " Ooh ! 

 I s'y, you know ! " Then he beat a hasty retreat. 



Stevenson hurried off to bed, and the following day 

 had to be given another study for the time being. 



The study continued to be intermittently haunted, and 

 defied the detective powers even of Mr H. Lee- Warner, 

 who, like " Mindar," thought that he could soon solve 

 the mystery. The fact of Still's door being open and the 

 light burning in his study quite disarmed suspicion of 



