‘What--what do you mean?’ ‘Well,’ he answered, with a laugh that wasn’t sincere, for it was obviously forced, ‘I believe that room in which I slept is positively haunted.’ Now, I may state here that not a word of any kind had been mentioned to Herbert about the stories that were current with regard to the house. Both my father and I had resolved that the subject should be strictly avoided, so that none of our lady guests might be alarmed. As he spoke, I looked up into his brown face, and I saw that it was filled with a puzzled and troubled expression, while his splendid eyes had an unusual expression in them. ‘Tell me,’ I said quickly, ‘what did you see or hear?’ ‘Oh, don’t let us talk about it,’ he answered lightly. ‘Perhaps, after all, I have simply been dreaming.’ ‘Yes, yes--tell me--you must tell me, Herbert,’ I exclaimed. ‘You know that I am strong-nerved.’ He seemed to hesitate; but laughing again, though it was the same forced laugh, he said: ‘Well, the fact is, if ever I saw a raven in my life, I saw one last night, only it was white.’ At this I almost fainted, and he caught me by the arm. I made a desperate effort, however, and recovered myself. ‘Go on; tell me all about it,’ I said peremptorily. And the sum and substance of what he told me was this. He had seen a white raven, or what appeared to be a white raven, flying round and round the room. It made no noise, which amazed him and, as he confessed, startled him. He tried to catch this mysterious and noiseless bird, but it had no substantiality--it was an airy phantom; but once or twice, when he appeared to grasp it, a deep groan and sigh broke upon his ears. Although a strange fear seemed to turn my heart cold, I endeavoured not to show it, nor could I bring myself to tell my lover of the tradition so common all over the country side about the murdered lady and the White Raven. If the extraordinary apparition had any real effect on Herbert, he soon shook it off, and his hearty ringing laughter made music in the house, and his eyes were filled again with the old look of love with which they always greeted me. It had been arranged that the gentlemen were to form a shooting party, to go out on to the moor and try and bag some wild ducks. At first I was disposed to dissuade Herbert from going--ah, would that I had done so!--but it seemed to me weak and foolish. Moreover, he was so anxious to go for the novelty of the thing, and so I whispered in his ear as he was standing on the steps: ‘Take care of yourself, love, for my sake.’ ‘Of course I will, darling; and you do the same,’ he answered cheerily. I watched his manly form until he was hidden from my sight by the trees. He looked splendid in his perfect health, and his magnificent physique was set off to every possible advantage by the superb coat of Russian sable that he wore. How proud I felt of him! for truly he was a man to be proud of.