"I beg your pardon, sir, I am afraid I disturbed you; but I have been
three times to see if you were not coming down, and I found you so soundly
asleep I did not like to wake you. Mr. Strahan has finished breakfast,
and gone out riding; Mr. Margrave has left,--left before six o'clock."

"Ah, he said he was going early."

"Yes, sir; and he seemed so cross when he went. I could never have
supposed so pleasant a gentleman could put himself into such a passion!"

"What was the matter?"

"Why, his walking-stick could not be found; it was not in the hall. He
said he had left it in the study; we could not find it there. At last he
found it himself in the old summerhouse, and said--I beg pardon--he said
he was sure you had taken it there: that some one, at all events, had been
meddling with it. However, I am very glad it was found, since he seems to
set such store on it."

"Did Mr. Margrave go himself into the summer-house to look for it?"

"Yes, sir; no one else would have thought of such a place; no one likes to
go there, even in the daytime."

"Why?"

"Why, sir, they say it is haunted since poor Sir Philip's death; and,
indeed, there are strange noises in every part of the house. I am afraid
you had a bad night, sir," continued the servant, with evident curiosity,
glancing towards the bed, which I had not pressed, and towards the