"_Ghost_, indeed!" And withering scorn was expressed in the very tone of
her ejaculation. "When you're my _h_age you'll have learned to take no
'eed of such nonsense! There's no such a thing; and I'm surprised as a
Catholic girl, born and bred, should be that superstitious! You mustn't
believe such rubbish!"

I scented entertainment, for Penny dogmatizing on spiritualism was likely
to prove interesting.

"What's up, Penny?" I inquired with an air of innocence, as she suddenly
emerged from the kitchen, wrathfully brandishing a huge knife--as who
should say, in Hamlet's words:

"I'll make a ghost of him that lets me!"

had she not been bent upon the more peaceful, if prosaic, slaughter of a
lettuce for the luncheon salad.

Penny was just in the mood to give vent to her theological opinions
concerning the possibility of visits from another world, and at once
seized the opportunity of imparting a little wholesome instruction to any
audience obtainable.

"The nonsense that folks get into their 'eads nowadays, Mr. Edmund--what
with these trashy novels and 'apenny papers--is something past belief!
Not but what Elsie is a good, quiet girl enough, and reg'lar at her
duties every first Sunday in the month; but she's young, and I suppose we
'ave to make allowance for young folk."