“What is it, then? I insist upon knowing.”
“Don’t, Jessup! it’s nothing earthly, I tell you, and I don’t like to speak of it. Lord bless my soul, there it is again!” exclaimed the woman, in a suppressed tone of horror.
“What? where? I see nothing!” said Mr. Jessup, wringing around his neck until his face was nearly between his shoulders.
“It’s vanished” whispered the housekeeper, without withdrawing her gaze from the window, while Mr. Antonio and Miss Tabs stared in amazement, and Mr. Jessup regarded her with incredulous indignation, saying at length:
“Can’t you tell me what you saw, then, if you saw anything but of your own imagination?”
“’Twas no imagination of mine, Jerry Jessup; if you must and will know what I have seen, I’ll tell. Since I have been sitting here at this table, I have seen a pale, ghostly female figure flit past that window three times!”
Every one glanced shudderingly at the window except Jessup, who contemptuously exclaimed:
“It was only your own fancy, Mrs. Broadsides!”
The housekeeper shook her head ominously.
“It’s all along o’ leaving the shutters open. It’s awful ghostly to have the night peeping in at you through the glass. I always imagine that I see something at such time.”