"Oh, hang it!" he expostulated after a while, "I am doing this under
protest, and you need not make it worse for a fellow. I draw the line
at hissing."

"It's the usual thing," explained John affably.

But when the ghostly lady walked on, and in the act of falling on her
father's body was interrupted by the pianist, who handed up an immense
bouquet, the performers held another hurried colloquy.

"Look here," said the dark-browed villain, stepping forward and
addressing John; "what will you take to call it quits?"

"I'll take," said John, "the key which the lady has just handed you.
And if the treasure is at all commensurate with the fuss you have been
making about it, we'll let bygones be bygones."

Well, it did; and John, having counted it out behind the curtain, came
forward and asked the pianist to play "God save the King"; and so,
having bowed his guests to the door, took possession of the haunted
house and lived in it many years with his bride, in high renown and
prosperity.



THREE PHOTOGRAPHS.


"Photograph all the prisoners? But why?" demanded Sir Felix