saw the shadow of a woman on the wall, and supposed it to be a
maid come to see after the fire. Next, the figure of an old
woman emerged from behind the screen; she was of average height,
and stout; she wore a woollen cap, and her dress was that of a
superior servant indoors. Supposing her to be some servant's
visitor come to have a look at the drawing-room while the party
were at dinner, I moved to attract her attention, with no
result. She walked a few steps towards the middle of the room,
then disappeared. Her countenance was not pleasing, but
expressed no personal malevolence; her face may have been
coarsely handsome. Her dress was dark, and made in the fashion
which was worn in my childhood. When the dog came in later he
seemed to sight something from behind the screen and followed it
across the room, when he lay down under my couch, instead of on
the hearth as usual. He had done the same thing yesterday
morning, looking much frightened, and had then taken refuge
under Miss Langton's chair.

In connection with this it will be seen elsewhere that footsteps were
constantly heard in the drawing-room, both at night and in daylight.

Mr. Garford, in No. 1, heard last night what seemed like the
detonating noise, which he describes as like a wheelbarrow on a
hard road, "a sharp, rapidly repeated knocking," at a distance.

_February 27th, Saturday._--Colonel C---- and Mr. MacP----
arrived.

To-night we sleep as follows:--