"He thinks he has seen his master's wraith; and because the earl signed
his will this morning, he is sure to die, especially as Lord Cairnforth
saw the same thing himself. Will you say, my lord, what you did see?"

"Mr. Menteith, I believe I saw a man peering in at that window."

"It wasna a man--it was a speerit," moaned Malcolm. "My lord's
wraith, for sure."

"I don't think so, Malcolm; for it was a tall, thin figure that moved
about lightly and airily--was come and gone in a moment. Not very
like my wraith, unless wraith of myself as I might have been."

The little party were silent till Helen said,

"What do you think it was, then?"

"Certainly a man, made of honest flesh and blood, though not much of
either, for he was excessively thin and sickly-looking. He just
'keerkit in,' as Malcolm says, and disappeared."

"What an odd circumstance!" said Mr. Menteith.

"Not a robber, I trust. I am much more afraid of robbers than of
ghosts."

"We never rob at Cairnforth; we are very honest people here. No, I
think it is far likelier to be one of those stray tourists who are
brought here by the steamers. They sometimes take great liberties,
wandering into the Castle grounds, and perhaps one of them thought he