"Mamma," she said, "don't be vexed with me--I know you warned me once to be careful how I spoke of it; but _wouldn't_ it be nice if Uncle Paul would tell us his ghost story? And then, Mrs. Snowdon," she went on, "you could always say you had heard _one_ ghost story at or from--which should I say?--headquarters." Lady Denholme glanced round half nervously before she replied. "Locally speaking, it would not be _at_ headquarters, Nina," she said. "The Quarries was not the scene of your uncle's ghost story. But I almost think it is better not to speak about it--I am not sure that he would like it mentioned, and he will be coming in a moment. He had only a note to write." "I do wish he would tell it to us," said Nina regretfully. "Don't you think, mamma, I might just run to the study and ask him, and if he did not like the idea he might say so to me, and no one would seem to know anything about it? Uncle Paul is so kind--I'm never afraid of asking him any favour." "Thank you, Nina, for your good opinion of me; you see there is no rule without exceptions; listeners do sometimes hear pleasant things of themselves," said Mr. Marischal, as he at that moment came round the screen which half concealed the doorway. "What is the special favour you were thinking of asking me?" Nina looked rather taken aback. "How softly you opened the door, Uncle Paul," she said. "I would not have spoken of you if I had known you were there." "But after all you were saying no harm," observed her brother Michael. "And for my part I don't believe Uncle Paul would mind our asking him what we were speaking of." "What was it?" asked Mr. Marischal. "I think, as I have heard so much, you may as well tell me the whole." "It was only----" began Nina, but her mother interrupted her. "I have told Nina not to speak of it, Paul," she said anxiously; "but--it was only that all these young people are talking about ghost stories, and they want you to tell them your own strange experience. You must not be vexed with them." "Vexed!" said Mr. Marischal, "not in the least." But for a moment or two he said no more, and even pretty, spoilt Mrs. Snowdon looked a little uneasy. "You shouldn't have persisted, Nina," she whispered. Mr. Marischal must have had unusually quick ears. He looked up and smiled. "I really don't mind telling you all there is to hear," he said. "At one time I had a sort of dislike to mentioning the story, for the sake of others. The details would have led to its being recognised--and it might have been painful. But there is no one now living to whom it would matter--you know," he added, turning to his sister; "her husband is dead too." Lady Denholme shook her head. "No," she said, "I did not hear."