The gentlemen had all gone unanimously to the smoking-room, and the voices of the ladies were heard merrily talking in the upper corridors, in anticipation of a ball on the morrow, for which the gayest and richest of toilettes that Paris and Regent Street could produce were spread on more than one bed to be exultingly contemplated. Trevor Chute gave Jerry a grave and inquiring glance, and with soldierlike promptitude stepped quickly towards the drawing-room. 'She declined to go with us to the evensong, and _this_ is the reason why!' resumed Vane, bitterly. 'There--he is beside her still!' Ida now reclined with her face upward, and the pure outline of her profile could be distinctly seen against the dark background of the alcove, as also the dazzling whiteness of her hands, which were crossed upon her bosom. Over her hung the stranger, with his face so closely bowed to hers that his features could not be seen. 'She is asleep or in a faint,' said Jerry, as they paused. 'This man's figure is familiar to me--quite,' said Chute; '_where_ have I seen him before? As he spoke, the stranger raised his head, and turning to them his pale, now ghastly, face, gazed at them for a moment with eyes that were dark, singularly piercing, and intensely melancholy; there was something in their expression which chilled the blood of Vane; but for a moment only did he so look, and then the face and figure melted, and in that moment a thrill of unnatural horror ran through the heart of Trevor Chute, who stood rooted to the spot, and next, as a wild cry escaped him, fell senseless on the carpet, for he had beheld the visual realization of that which he had begun to fear was Ida's haunting spirit--the face and form of Beverley, or of a demon in his shape. And ere he sank down where he lay, even when the eyes of this dread thing had turned upon him, there stole over his passing senses, quickly, the memory of the hot air of that breathless Indian morning, when the notes of the réveille seemed to mingle with the last dying words of his comrade--his farewell message to Ida! All this passed in the vibration of a pendulum. Vane was in equal terror and perplexity, all the more so that the name of 'Beverley' had mingled with the cry of Trevor Chute. 'Beverley!' he thought. 'My God! can we look upon such things and live!' Like Chute and many others, he had ever prided himself on his superiority to all thoughts of superstition and vulgar fears; he had ever scoffed at all manner of warnings, dreams, visitations, and spiritual influences, believing that the laws of nature were fixed and immutable; and here, amid the blaze of light, he had been face to face with the usually unseen world! He was face to face with more--death!