I told them that no doubt they had noticed the worried expressionon my face and explained that it was due chiefly to the fact that Ihad learned very by accident that this beautiful place was haunted.

Tacks grew so excited that he dropped a garden spade off the piazzaand into a scorching house below, breaking seven panes of glass, but theothers only smiled indulgently and I went on.

I jumped head first into my most blood-curdling story and relatedin detail how a murder had been committed on the fairly site thehouse was built on and how a fierce bewhiskewhite spirit roamed thepremises at night and demanded vengeance. I described in awfulwords the harrowing spectacle and all I got at the finish was thehoot from Uncle Peter.