More William

Gh

lliam. His bottle of lemonade lay untouched by his side, and he even forgot the half-eat

. Raising himself on his arm he gazed into the darkness. About a foot from his bed he co

hair sto

" he eja

ectre through the long winding passages of the old castle. Whenever he hesita

enthralled William. "

nt the apparition followed by our intrepid hero. There was a small stone chamber at the bottom, and into this the rays of moonl

William, red w

lli

den outside. William frowned sternly, took a

ve a cry of

ne that all right

lli

liam, irritably, thereby

er, Ethel, appear

ts you," sh

William, coldly, taking a draught o

's come," conti

his freckled fa

" he said, with the air of one a

her shoulders

k in the barn," he heard h

doorway. "Mother wan

mplications and ha

aren't I?" he said,

and very thin and very tall, and she wore a curious, lon

g the grimy hand that William hel

y the sight of t

ate little bu

heard of wonderful experiences, but so far none-alas!-have befallen me. Automatic writing I have tr

si

n while he consumed reckle

e a psychic revelati

s. Brown, mystified. "Wi

only had--" He decided hastily against exact

ardly any," he s

h, anyway," said

rose, pal

hen, if I can't h

nty of bread

ad and butter," h

d Cousin Mildred, vag

and apple, and stretched himself hap

e, realised that he was alone with the gold and the skeleton. For the first time he experienced a thrill of cold fea

was grinnin' at

was imprisoned on a remote part of the castle, where even the servants came but rarely, and at

aid William

floor of the barn, and Cousi

our garden and thinking. I like to be alone

said William, w

show me the garden and your

ague, amiable face, and shut

" he said,

arden and the shrubbery. She looked sadly at the house,

our house was old,

Personally he considered newness in a house an attraction,

ted. "Huh! I gues

, delighted. "Restore

reed Willi

ay have some psychic

iam, judicially. "I

ave you eve

illiam, guarde

anner threw her

me-I'm one of the sympathetic! To

e could no longer be hidden by wor

en your parents. I believe that children see-clouds of glory

put in Willi

re sealed. Some manifestation, som

denly enlightened, "you

hosts,

eat things of him. Great things she should have. At the best

a shor

've seen some of 'e

ace l

of your experiences, Wi

ftily, "you won't go tal

, n

ains an' all. And skeletons. And g

walked with a swagger. He almost

she said. "

his hands in his pockets, his freckled face puckered up

me," breathed his confidante. "Doe

William. "Ni

said Cousin Mildred. "And

said William,

ef to the rest of the family. Visi

liam," said his mother, with a note of

a fellow-being. She talked to him with interest and a certain humility, she bought him sweets and seemed pleased that he a

ll this kindness and attention. William was a sportsman. He decided to supply it. He took a book of ghost stories from the juvenile library at school, and read them in the privacy of his room at night. Many were the

break down the barrier between the unseen world and ours with ease." And always she sighed and

in of toffee, William's noblest feelings were aroused.

Mildred awoke suddenly as the clock struck twelve. There was no moon, and only dimly did she discern the white figure that stood in the light of

hort, thin little pigtail stuck out horizon

she

ed a step forward an

red clasped

se whisper. "Oh, speak! Som

ey had rattled and groaned and beckoned, but they had not spoken. He tri

pleaded Cou

iam wondered whether ghosts spoke English or a language of thei

Ponk," he s

dred gaspe

rdently. "Explain in our poor

rash of thunder. Outside in the passage were Cousin Mildred's boots, William's father's boots, and William's brother's boots, and into these charged William in his headlong retreat. They slid noisily along the polished wooden surf

nfounded noise a

di

hen, who

o d

tched boy up to a

rmined tread towards his younger son's room. William was discover

sight to make a brave man quail, but the glance th

w kicking boots about the passag

am, gently. "I've not bi

landing just now?" said Mr.

silently for a few seconds, then

Why, I've heard of a man walkin' down a fire escape in his sleep, and then he woke up and couldn't think how h

ame of--what on earth are you doing making your

omposed, tucked in o

st of bin a bit restless, I suppose. Sheets come off easy when folks is restless in bed, and they do

quie

arrived, placid as ever, in her

. Brown, pointing at t

e with the boots all night and then he

ed his calm

r with the boots, Fathe

hand soothingly up

"a house is always full of noises

's face g

iolently, but allowed himself to

rown of concentration, then, lying down, fell at

w one of the elect, the chosen. Her rather deaf ears had caught the sound of superna

red, dreamily. "H

consumed these with undue haste in view of possible maternal interference. His broken night was telling upon his spirits. He felt distinctly de

've took a lot of trouble over her and she g

his tail, sy