[who had an intimate knowledge of the S---- family. See under
dates Feb. 9th and 20th]. She repeated her former story of the
Major's promised "return," especially a statement made to an old
woman who worked in the garden, who had told him that at least
"he'd no get in there, she'd keep the gate locked," that he
"would come in below the deck" (_cf._ p. 114). He was described
as a short, broad man, with white hair and beard, "a'ful fond o'
dogs (of which he had many), and so noisy with them in the
morning, that when he and his housekeeper-body let them out, his
voice could be heard on the hill." She also said that on Major
S----'s return from India to assume the property he found a
tenant in possession, and had built himself a small house beyond
the grounds, which he afterwards let with the shooting. In the
late Mr. S----'s time this house was used as a retreat during
the summer for nuns (a statement which interests us greatly, as
affording a possible clue to the apparition).

The Major was greatly attached to the place, and had a great
dislike to the presence of strangers in it, or to its going out
of the old name. The estate, we hear, was much encumbered when
he succeeded to it, but he cleared off all debts in a few years,
and appears to have lived a somewhat eccentric and recluse life,
in the society of his dogs and dependants.


This is the first mention of the fact that nuns had ever lived at
B----. Miss Freer had not been aware that the object of the Rev. P.
H----'s visit in 1892 had been to give what is called a Spiritual
Retreat to those who had been occupying the cottage. It is only fair
to suggest that the phantasmal nun, to whom the name Ishbel had been