The Ghost of Guir House

The spark in the hanging lamp had almost expired, and the fire was

reduced to a mere handful of coals, casting an erubescent glow over

the pew and its occupants. Ah Ben stretched his hand toward the

chimney, and as he did so, a ball of misty light appeared against it,

just below the mantel. It was ill defined and hazy, like the

reflection a firefly will sometimes make against the ceiling of a

darkened room; but it was fixed, and Paul was sure it had not been

there a moment before.

"Do you see that?" asked the old man, breaking the silence.

"Yes," answered Paul; "and I was just wondering what it could be."

"Watch! and you will see."

They sat with their eyes fixed; but while Paul was staring into the

mantel, Ah Ben was looking at him.

"Observe how it grows," and even as he spoke the strange illumination

deepened, until it assumed the distinct and definite form of a lamp.

Then the mantelpiece dissolved into nothingness, and Paul was staring

through the chimney into a strange room, whose form and contents were

dimly revealed by the curious lamp which occupied a table in the

centre. Two persons sat at this table, the one a woman, the other a

boy, and near at hand was an English army officer. The woman was

small, with dark eyes and hair, and a skin the color of tan bark. Her

head was bowed forward and rested upon her arms, which were crossed

upon the table. The man was looking down at her with a troubled

expression, and in a minute he stooped forward and kissed the top of

her head; he then turned suddenly and left the room. The scene was

distinct, although the outer part of the room was in shadow.

Presently the woman threw herself to the floor with a heart-rending

shriek, and Paul started up, exclaiming: "What has happened? She will wake everybody in the house!"

He bounded to his feet; but as he did so, the lamp in the strange

room went out, and the chimney closed over the scene, leaving him

with his old surroundings. Looking up at Ah Ben, he said: "I must have fallen asleep. I've been dreaming."

"Not at all," answered Ah Ben. "You've been quite as wide awake as I

have, and we've been looking at the same thing."

Paul demanded the proof, which the old man gave by telling him what

he had seen in every detail.

"Then it's magic!" said Henley, "for surely no room can be visible

through that chimney."