he laid it on the floor of the passage and
looked out again. The quick tramp of a
horse now met his ear, and wondering who
could be in such rapid motion at that time
of night, and in that retired situation, he
slipped down stairs and went out by the
northern door, which commanded the road
by which the traveller must pass. The
traveller pulled up and dismounted within
a yard of where he stood. The moon
was under a cloud —he could see very
indistinctly.

"Is the chaise ready? They are close
at hand," said a voice he did not
recognise.

"I really don't know," said Belton.

The speaker started —and by a rapid motion
pulled the cloak closer round.

"Are you a gentleman?" resumed the
voice hurriedly.

"I should think I was," replied Belton.

"Then I am safe. You will be secret—
pass on."

The clouds dispersed for a moment. The
stranger was a lady of tall and graceful
presence, closely muffled, but revealing enough
of shape and motion in the riding habit in
which she was dressed, to complete the
conquest which her musical voice had begun.
But Belton had no time for the display of his
admiration. The stranger disappeared, and
the horse, when left to itself, celebrated his
recovered liberty by some well directed kicks
in the immediate proximity of Mr. Belton's
eyes, which made him beat a rapid retreat
towards the house. The clatter of the
emancipated animal's gallop was shortly lost in
distance, and Belton, after ten minutes'
ineffectual search for the mysterious lady, gave
up the attempt to discover her retreat; and,
wearied more than ever, chilled with the
night air, and puzzled at the strange event,
he went once more up-stairs and entered on
the long narrow passage which conducted to
his room. His candle was still on the floor;
and, on going forward to lift it up, he saw as
distinctly as if it had been in open day a
figure, standing silent and erect at the other
end. It was not fancy that conjured up the
terrible appearance. It was the form of a
tall and handsome man —resting the left
elbow in the right hand, and smoothing the
moustache —there was the same firm expression
of the eyes and mouth, and round the
jaw was rolled a white cloth concealing the
cheek, and sustaining the chin exactly as he
had seen it applied by the surgeon on the
morning of the death.

Belton gazed horror-struck for some time.
The figure made no movement. There it
stood fixed and rigid, still playing with the
moustache, and looking with those unearthly
eyes as if expecting to be addressed by the
witness of his fate. Belton could stand the
sight no longer, but made a forward rush to
seize his candle. In his terror and agitation
he overturned the light, and the duellist and
his second were left in total darkness. Ever
through the long hours of that awful night
Belton who groped his way to his bed, saw
nothing but the features of the murdered
man; near him —near him they seemed to
come; if sleep for a moment closed his eyes,
clearer and clearer the phantom rose to
view; and feverish, ill, and with conscience
awakened with all its stings, he rose early in
the morning, and, without any allusion to the
adventures of the night, betook himself to
town.

There was something too painful in this
incident to be kept entirely to himself.
He told it to his friends. I heard it very
soon after it occurred; and though we all
goodnaturedly laboured to dispel his allusion,
it was in vain. He became, as the saying
is, an altered character. He subscribed
to charities, and became governor of
hospitals, and grew immensely rich, and had
a charming family, and gave dinners to
lords, and put Charlie Belton, his eldest
son, into the crack regiment of the service,
The memory of the night at the "Isaac's
Arms" by these means was beginning to
die out, or at least it was not so much talked
of as before. But, about two years ago,
he asked me to go with him to Gravesend in
a magnificent new ship he had just launched,
which was going to carry out the recently
appointed Governor to one of our noblest
dependencies. The great man was to embark
at Gravesend, and Belton resolved to get
everything ready for his reception. The
cabins designed for his Excellency and suite
were fitted up as if for an Indian King, and
very difficult to please must his Excellency
have been, if he felt discontented with the
attention bestowed on his comfort. The
small vessel which brought him on board
at Gravesend was to take us on shore. The
Governor stepped on deck and was received by
Belton with all the respect due to his rank.
He was a man about fifty years of age,
and supported on his arm a lady a few years
younger but still wearing the remains of
exquisite beauty. With somewhat haughty
manners he had a bold manly appearance
which attracted notice, and a sweet smile
which won our liking. He stood near the
helm and looked with admiration at the
proportions of the noble ship, Belton shook
hands with him and wished him a prosperous
voyage. We then got into the vessel at the
side, and on looking once more to the quarter-
deck we had left —"See there! —see there!"
whispered Belton to me. "Look how he
stands!"

The Governor had rested his left elbow
in his hand, and was smoothing his
moustache. There was a visible scar on his
left cheek, imperfectly concealed by his
whisker.

"That's the man I saw die on the
Hampshire Downs, whose ghost I saw at
the 'Isaac's Arms'. I can't be mistaken."