SUPERSTITIONS AND HAUNTINGS 265 



which they could not catch in a hunt. He must 

 come in to breakfast. Hounds could do no more. 

 A countryman held the black horse, the stranger 

 went in to eat and drink. A toast . . . the health 

 of the finest rider who had ever come to Limerick. 



He rose, speaking quiet thanks. On his part he 

 drank to the health of — the Family — and some- 

 how it came with a sinister hiss. 



Where was he then ? No one had seen him go 

 out. The countryman was looking around for 

 the bridle, which he declared was whipped out of 

 his hand. 



Whether His Majesty will eat again there, or 

 has done so in the guise of a politician acting for 

 the good of his country ... I cannot say. This 

 story was sworn to by the old men when I was a 

 child, and none of the family will live in their 

 own house. Strangers have taken it but not 

 stayed there for any time. 



I know nothing of what ghosts may be or if 

 there really are such things, but I have stayed in 

 a house where we all heard footsteps and voices 

 night after night and when the master of the house 

 used to firmly chase the footsteps, brandishing a 

 loaded revolver and declaring that he would shoot. 

 One cannot reasonably shoot at nothing. A fear- 

 less and sceptical little retired soldier, he used to 

 come back explaining it all away airily. 



The Psychical Society came to call on this ghost 

 and failed to do any business with him. He was an 



