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It requires alht, after a conversation of this kind, opposite an apparently reasonable person who is white and twitching with terror, even though one resolutely refrains froue with oneself to any extent, tap one's foot cheerfully on the floor, fill the hts; yet it is so of a conflict, however victorious one ie herself becale moment she allowed that the two little sudden noises in the room could possibly proceed from any cause whatever except that which she had stated--the relaxation of stiffened wood under the influence of the thaw Nor had all Laurie's arguree her resolute conviction that there was nothing whatever preternatural in his certainly queer story

Yet, as she sat there in the lareat curtainedbehind, she became conscious of an uneasiness that she could not entirely repel It was just physical, she said; it was the result of the change of weather; or, at the most, it was the silence that had now fallen and the proxiain

He was lying back in the old green arm-chair, his eyes rather shadowed from the la the lion bosses of his chair-ar cigarette-end in the silver tray

Maggie suddenly sprang to her feet, slipped round the table, and caught him by the arm

"Laurie, Laurie, wake up What's the matter?"

A long shudder passed through him He sat up, with a bewildered look

"Eh? What is it?" he said "Was I asleep?"

He rubbed his hands over his eyes and looked round

"What is it, Maggie? Was I asleep?"

Was the boy acting? Surely it was good acting! Maggie threw herself down on her knees by the chair

"Laurie! Laurie! I beg you not to go to see Mr Vincent It's bad for you I do wish you wouldn't"

He still blinked at her a ie?"

She stood up, ashao and see thatEvery sign of nervousness seeone

"Not see Mr Vincent? Nonsense; of course I shall You don't understand, Maggie"