"No; I never heard that anything happened. Nor does the apparition appear regularly. It has only been seen about three times, and always after dusk." "I shall watch for it," said Peggy. "I am not in the least alarmed now I know there is a dog. I have never been afraid of a living dog; I couldn't fear a dead dog. I feel nearly as brave as Robert." She described, almost in Robert's own words, and with a droll mimicry of Robert's manner, his professed contempt for what he could put his hand through and his gruesome familiarity with old bones. Robert was so well known a figure in Moresby, was known even to the guests staying at the Hall, that Peggy's imitation of the sexton's manner provoked the merriment of all her hearers. The vicar was as greatly amused as the rest. "Robert may be very brave in the matter of ghosts," he said; "but I have known him quail before something not usually considered terrifying." "What is that?" inquired Peggy. "A woman," he answered, and met her eyes and smiled. CHAPTER TWENTY TWO. With the finish of the holidays the guests at the Hall went their several ways, and there was a lull in the feverish round of gaiety which had moved Moresby out of its accustomed calm, and had introduced into the usually contented breasts of the rustic portion of the community a dissatisfaction with their former quiet life and a profound respect for the new residents, quite apart from the prestige that descended upon them by virtue of their dwelling at the Hall. Even in the matter of the home farm, managed and worked entirely by women--which innovation had been looked on distrustfully by the sons of the soil--the Chadwicks were accorded a grudging recognition of success. The home farm was like to prosper. Moreover, it would not interfere with local farmers. Everything which it would produce was to be disposed of in markets which Moresby did not reach. Mrs Chadwick had no intention of using her wealth to the injury of her neighbours; and she made that clear to them before she set about stocking her farm. Since there was capital at the back of the enterprise, since the farm was stocked with the best, and everything was up to date, and managers and workers alike were keen and experienced, Mrs Chadwick had no misgivings as to the ultimate result of this venture. It was a hobby of hers, and one upon which she spent much time and thought. A woman living in the country needed some outlet for her energy, she opined. Robert, although he approved highly of Mrs Chadwick, was sternly opposed to the idea of women farming. Hadn't he seen a woman "orched"? And didn't he know how fearsome they were with cattle? Why, even the milking was done by men nowadays, and a lot better done, in his opinion.