It's more British."

"Bother 'God save the Queen,'" exclaimed Courtney impatiently.--
"Look here, you don't mean it seriously, do you?"

"I always mean everything seriously," said Dr. Dean,--"even my
jokes."

"Now come, no nonsense, Doctor," and Courtney, taking his arm, led
him towards one of the windows opening out to the moonlit garden,-
-"can you, as an honest man, assure me in sober earnest that there
are 'scientific ghosts' of the nature you describe?"

The little Doctor surveyed the scenery, glanced up at the moon,
and then at his companion's pleasant but not very intelligent
face.

"I would rather not discuss the matter," he said at last, with
some brusqueness. "There are certain subjects connected with
psychic phenomena on which it is best to be silent; besides, what
interest can such things have for you? You are a sportsman,--keep
to your big game, and leave ghost-hunting to me."

"That is not a fair answer to my question," said Courtney, "I'm
sure I don't want to interfere with your researches in any way; I
only want to know if it is a fact that ghosts exist, and that they
are really of such a nature as to deserve the term 'scientific.'"

Dr. Dean was silent a moment. Then, stretching out his small, thin
hand, he pointed to the clear sky, where the stars were almost