The following evening they were all seated round a table, which was covered with papers. The new deeds handing over the estate to the second wife's son on the death of his father were read out and signed, and the wife took up the old deeds which had appointed Alexander heir to his own mother's property, and tore off the seal. At that instant an icy, whistling wind rushed through the room, as if someone had entered from the hall and passed out by the garden door, which was shut. Nothing was seen, but they all shivered. The wife turned pale, but, recovering herself, asked her husband what tricks he was playing now, to which he answered angrily that he knew no more about it than anybody else. 'When did you last hear from your son?' asked one of the gentlemen present. 'Five years ago,' replied the father. 'And have you not written to him about this business?' continued the gentleman. 'No; for I did not know where to write to.' 'Sir,' said his friend earnestly, 'I never saw a ghost in my life, nor believed in them; and even now I have seen nothing. But that _something_ passed through the room just now was quite clear. I heard it distinctly.' 'And I _felt_ the wind it made as it passed by me,' remarked another witness. 'Pray, sir,' said the first, addressing himself to the father; 'have _you_ seen anything at any time, or heard voices or noises, or dreamed anything about this matter?' 'Many times I have dreamed that my son was alive, and that I had spoken with him, and once that I had asked him why he had not written to me for so long, seeing that I had it in my power to disinherit him.' 'And what answer did he make to that?' 'I never dreamt on so long as to have his answer.' 'And what do you think yourself? Do you believe he is dead?' 'No; I do not. I believe he is alive, and that if I disinherit him I shall commit a sin.' 'Truly,' said the second witness; 'it begins to shock me. I will meddle with it no further.' But at these words the wife, who had recovered her courage, exclaimed: 'What is the use of talking like that? Everything is settled. Why else are we here? _I_ am not frightened, if _you_ are,' and again she took up one of the old deeds, in order to tear off the seal. Then the window flew open and the shadow of a body was seen standing outside, with its face looking straight at her face. 'Here,' said a voice, and the spectre vanished. In spite of her boasted courage, the wife shrieked and fell in hysterics, and the two witnesses took up the deeds. 'We will have no more to do with this business,' cried they, and, taking up the new deeds which they had signed, they tore off their names, and by so doing these deeds became of no value, and the elder son was still heir to the property. * * * * *