The Ghost of Guir House

"And is Dorothy to suffer as you have suffered, for what was no fault

of hers?" demanded Paul.

"Yes," said Ah Ben; "the law of Karma is the law of nature and the

law of God; and while ordinarily she would have passed safely on in

the possession of her new-born powers, the pitfall which I blindly

laid beset her unwary feet, and she fell. There is but one course

open; but one way in which Dorothy can reach either heaven or earth,

by a shorter road than that which I am compelled to travel. It is

simple, and yet one which, under the circumstances, is almost

impossible to achieve; and this from the fact that it requires the

cooperation of a human being."

"I should imagine that any one with the ordinary feelings of

humanity would gladly do what he could to assist such an unhappy

fellow-creature!" exclaimed Paul.

"But she is not a fellow-creature," urged the old man.

"True, but I understood you to say that she might become one with the

cooperation of a human being."

"I did," Ah Ben replied; "but where is that to be found?"

"Not knowing the nature of the task, it would be difficult to say,"

answered Paul, "but I will adhere to my first proposition, that one

with the ordinary feelings of humanity would gladly do what he

could."

"Mr. Henley, have you the ordinary feelings of humanity?"

"I hope so," answered Paul.

"Would you be willing to marry a ghost, and be haunted for the rest

of your life; for the ghost would be sure to outlive you?"

Paul started.

"I have put the case too strongly," continued Ah Ben; "Dorothy is not

a ghost in the ordinary sense. She is a materialized spirit, and

that, my dear friend, is exactly what you are, with this difference:

you have practically no control over your body; while she, having

returned from the summer land abnormally, can, like myself, become

invisible at will; but, upon the other hand, she is not always

visible, even to those whom she would like to have see her. In short,

as I have told you before, we belong to neither one world nor the

other. But through union with a human creature, Dorothy can once more

assume the functions of mortality, and after another period of earth

life, become fitted again for the land of spirits."

"I understand you entirely," answered Paul, "and can say, without

hesitation or reservation, that I love your daughter, and, be she

whom or what she may, will gladly marry her, if she can say as much

for me."