"Why, what--the devil--where did you find it?" asked he, thrown off his guard by the unconcerned and business air of the under-clerk. "I did not find it at all," answered "J. Styles," calmly. "I was commissioned to return it to you by Mr. Lawrence. It was found in the hallway of his residence on the evening of the twenty-first instant." Mr. Colville started as if a bullet had struck him. He grew deathly white even to the lips, and stared at the visitor a moment in silence. At length he recovered himself with a powerful effort, and asked, curtly: "Well, why did Lawrence think of sending it to me? I did not lose it there. Lawrence is a friend of mine, certainly, but I have not called on him for several months." "He recognized it as your property, and supposed that you might have called on the ladies that day in his absence," returned the visitor, fabricating this lie with bare-faced effrontery. "Yes, that seemed plausible," answered Colville, with evident relief. "I suppose now that you have no idea where you actually lost it?" inquired the clerk, respectfully. "Not the slightest--indeed, it was but yesterday that I discovered the loss. That must have been several days afterwards if, as you said, it was found on the twenty-first," replied Colville, more affably than he had yet spoken. "You will return my thanks to Mr. Lawrence for its prompt return." "It appears strange that it should be found in the hallway of a house which you have not entered for months--does it not, sir?" remarked the clerk with a musing air. "Exceedingly strange," returned Colville, uneasily. "But perhaps it had been found on the street by some person who might have lost it in Mr. Lawrence's hall that day. That is the only explanation of the mystery I can think of, for I assure you I have not been to the house for months. Not since long before the--the tragic death of his daughter," said he, growing pale as the words left his lips. "By the way, a most startling event occurred at the home of Mr. Lawrence the same night on which your locket was found," said the clerk, who seemed in no haste to leave. "Your mention of Miss Lily recalls it to my mind." "Indeed, and what was that?" inquired Colville, with an affectation of carelessness. "Why, the spirit of the deceased young lady actually appeared to the family, who were all assembled in the drawing-room in company with the gentleman to whom she was to have been married," replied the visitor in a voice of awe. "Can it be possible?" inquired Mr. Colville in a tone of surprise and interest. "In what manner did the apparition appear?" "She appeared in the doorway, sir, with her arms extended towards her lover. She was heard to utter her father's name twice, then the whole illusion faded out in the thick darkness."