"Papa, I had better tell you just how it happened," answered Claudia, giving the judge a detailed account of the dream, vision, or ghost, as the reader chooses to call it; but which she persisted in declaring to be the viscount himself in the flesh. "It is most extraordinary! How did he get out? Lady Hurstmonceux, had we not better have the house searched for him?" inquired the judge. "It shall be done if you please, judge; though I think it unnecessary." "Papa, no! he went as he came. Let him go. I hope he will be clear of the country before to-morrow morning." At this moment the clock struck five, although it was still pitch- dark and far from the dawn of day. "There! I declare it is to-morrow morning already, as the Irish would say. Lady Hurstmonceux, do not let me keep you up any longer. I know your usual hour for rising at this season of the year is eight o'clock. You will have three good hours' sleep before you yet. Papa, dear, go to bed or you will make yourself ill." "Are you sure you will not have anything before I go, Claudia?" inquired the countess. "Nothing whatever, dear; I think I shall sleep." Lady Hurstmonceux stooped and kissed her friend, and then, with a smile and a bow to the judge, she retired from the room. "Do you think now that you will rest, Claudia?" inquired the judge. "Yes, papa, yes. Go to rest yourself." He also stooped and kissed her, and then left the chamber. "Go to bed, Katie and Sally," said Claudia to her women. "'Deed 'fore de Lord aint I gwine to no bed to leabe you here by yourse'f. I don't want you to see no more sperrits," replied Katie. And she left the room for a few minutes and returned dragging in her mattress, which she spread upon the floor, and upon which she threw herself to sleep for the remainder of the dark hours. Lady Vincent submitted to this intrusion, because she knew it would be utterly useless to expostulate. But Sally began to whimper. "Now, den, what de matter long o' you? You seen a sperrit too?" demanded Katie. "I's feared to sleep by myse'f, for fear I should see somethin'," wept Sally. "Den you lay down here by me," ordered Katie. And thus it was that Lady Vincent's two women shared her sleeping room the remainder of that disturbed night--to be disturbed no longer; for, whether it was owing to the presence of the negroes or not, Claudia slept untroubled by dream, vision, or apparition, until the daylight streaming through one window, that had been left unclosed, awakened her. It was ten o'clock, however, before the family assembled at the breakfast table, where they were engaged in discussing the affair of the previous night, and in each maintaining his or her own opinion as to its character; Claudia persisting that it was the Viscount Vincent in person that she had seen; Berenice contending that it was a dream; and the judge hesitating between two opinions; Ishmael silent.