"It seemed to me to turn into the air; but that I wouldn't be so sure about. John thought it went right through the side of the house." "Was the window open behind it?" "Wal, really now, I wouldn't swear that it was, or wasn't. The fact is, I was so scaart the minit I saw it, I like to have dropped. John was for staying 'to see if it wouldn't come ag'in,' but I wouldn't let him, so we both cut and run." "I am sorry you didn't use your eyes to better advantage." "When you see a thing like that, I reckon you'll run, too. It ain't at all likely the window was open, or we would have noticed it. It was all shut up the next mornin', the same as ever." "That was yesterday. I suppose you have not been in the villa since?" "Lord! no, sir. I wouldn't go now for a hundred dollars." "Have you noticed any thing else peculiar?" "Yes, sir. There's been footsteps around the house in the snow." "Indeed?" I said, eagerly; "that is more like something. Can I see them now?" "No, sir; the sun's melted 'em all off. But if you think they're the tracks of persons comin' about the house for any purpose, just tell me, will you, sir, how they happened to be just about the porch, and so on, and not a track to it, nor away from it, in no direction?" "Indeed, I can not explain it, until I've rooted out the mystery from the beginning." "Nor it can't be explained," cried the housekeeper, triumphantly. It worried her to think I was so skeptical when she had given such absolute proofs; the idea of the haunted villa was making her really sick, yet she would not give up her cherished belief in its being haunted. I think she would have been disappointed if any one had come forward and sworn himself the ghost.