Gervase,--"why then the Soul of the other woman you once wronged
might come between you and the face of the new attraction and
cause you to unconsciously paint the tortured look of the injured
and unforgiving Spirit on the countenance of the lovely fascinator
whose charms are just beginning to ensnare you. I repeat, I have
known of such cases." And, unheeding the amazed and incredulous
looks of his listeners, the little Doctor folded both his short
arms across his chest, and hugged himself in the exquisite delight
of his own strange theories." The fact is, "he continued," you
cannot get rid of ghosts! They are all about us--everywhere!
Sometimes they take forms, sometimes they are content to remain
invisible. But they never fail to make their presence felt. Often
during the performance of some great piece of music they drift
between the air and the melody, making the sounds wilder and more
haunting, and freezing the blood of the listener with a vague
agony and chill. Sometimes they come between us and our friends,
mysteriously forbidding any further exchange of civilities or
sympathies, and occasionally they meet us alone and walk and talk
with us invisibly. Generally they mean well, but sometimes they
mean ill. And the only explanation I can offer you, Monsieur
Gervase, as to the present picture problem is that a ghost must
have come between you and your canvas!"

Gervase laughed loudly.

"My good friend, you are an adept in the art of pleading the
impossible! You must excuse me; I am a sceptic; and I hope I am
also in possession of my sober reason,--therefore, you can hardly
wonder at my entirely refusing to accept such preposterous
theories as those you appear to believe in."