Well, she behaved like a lunatic, and in the
end created such a disturbance that I had to summon my assistants and
actually turn her out. After that I had no peace for six weeks. She
came every day, at any and all times, and I was at last obliged to
take legal proceedings. I then discovered that her mind was really
unhinged, and that she had been suffering from softening of the brain
for many months. Her medical advisers had, it appeared, warned her to
give up business and place herself in the hands of trustworthy friends
or relations, who would see that her money was properly invested, but
she had delayed doing so; and when, at last, she did make up her mind
to retire, the excitement, resulting from so great a change in her
mode of living, accelerated the disease, and, exactly three weeks
after the sale of her business, she became a victim to the delusion
that she was ruined. This delusion grew more and more pronounced as
her malady increased, and amidst her wildest ravings she clamoured to
be taken back to George Street. The hauntings, indeed, began before
she died; and I frequently saw her--when I knew her material body to
be under restraint--just as you describe, gliding in and out the
show-rooms. "For several weeks after her death, the manifestations continued--they
then ceased, and I have never heard of her again until now." If I remember rightly the account of the George Street ghost here
terminated; but my friend referred to it again at the close of his
letter. "Since my return to Scotland," he wrote, "I have frequently visited
George Street, almost daily, but I have not seen 'Jane.' I only hope
that her poor distracted spirit has at last found rest." And with this
kindly sentiment my correspondent concluded. CASE V

    THE SALLOW-FACED WOMAN OF NO. -- FORREST
      ROAD, EDINBURGH


The Public unfortunately includes a certain set of people, of the
middle class very "middlish," who are ever on the look-out for some
opportunity, however slight and seemingly remote, of bettering
themselves socially; and, learning that those in a higher strata of
society are interested in the supernatural, they think that they may
possibly get in touch with them by working up a little local
reputation for psychical research. I have often had letters from this
type of "pusher" (letters from genuine believers in the Occult I
always welcome) stating that they have been greatly interested in my
books--would I be so very kind as to grant them a brief interview, or
permit them to accompany me to a haunted house, or give them certain
information with regard to Lady So-and-so, whom they have long wanted
to know? Occasionally, I have been so taken in as to give permission
to the writer to call on me, and almost always I have bitterly
repented. The wily one--no matter how wily--cannot conceal the cloven
hoof for long, and he has either tried to thrust himself into the
bosom of my family, or has written to my neighbours declaring himself
to be my dearest friend; and when, in desperation, I have shown him
the cold shoulder, he has attacked me virulently in some "rag" of a
local paper, the proprietor, editor, or office-boy of which happens to
be one of his own clique. I have even known an instance where this
type of person has, through trickery, actually gained access to some
notoriously haunted house, and from its owners--the family he has long
had his eyes on, from a motive anything but psychic--has ferreted out
the secret and private history of the haunting. Then, when he has been
"found out" and forced to see that his friendship is not wanted, he
has, in revenge for the slight, unblushingly revealed the facts that
were only entrusted to him in the strictest confidence; and, through
influence with the lower stratum of the Press, caused a most glaring
and sensational account of the ghost to be published. With such a case in view, I cannot be surprised that possessors of
family ghosts and haunted houses should show the greatest reluctance
to be approached on the subject, save by those they feel assured will
treat it with the utmost delicacy. But I have quoted the above breach of confidence merely to give
another reason for my constant use of fictitious names with regard to
people and places, and having done so (I hope to some purpose), I will
proceed with the following story:--

Miss Dulcie Vincent, some of whose reminiscences appeared in my book
of _Ghostly Phenomena_ last year, is nearly connected with Lady Adela
Minkon, who owns a considerable amount of house property, including
No. -- Forrest Road, in Edinburgh, and whose yacht at Cowes is the
envy of all who have cruised in her. Three years ago, Lady Adela
stayed at No. -- Forrest Road. She had heard that the house was
haunted, and was anxious to put it to the test. Lady Adela was
perfectly open-minded. She had never experienced any occult phenomena
herself, but, very rationally, she did not consider that her
non-acquaintance with the superphysical in any way negatived the
evidence of those who declare that they have witnessed manifestations;
their statements, she reasoned, were just as worthy of credence as
hers. She thus commenced her occupation of the house with a perfectly
unbiased mind, resolved to stay there for at least a year, so as to
give it a fair trial. The hauntings, she was told, were at their
height in the late summer and early autumn. It is, I think,
unnecessary to enter into any detailed description of her house. In
appearance, it differed very little, if at all, from those adjoining
it; in construction, it was if anything a trifle larger. The basement,
which included the usual kitchen offices and cellars, was very dark,
and the atmosphere--after sunset on Fridays, only on Fridays--was
tainted with a smell of damp earth, shockingly damp earth, and of a
sweet and nauseating something that greatly puzzled Lady Adela. All
the rooms in the house were of fair dimensions, and cheerful,
excepting on this particular evening of the week; a distinct gloom
settled on them then, and the strangest of shadows were seen playing
about the passages and on the landings. "It may be fancy," Lady Adela said to herself, "merely fancy! And,
after all, if I encounter nothing worse than a weekly menu of aromatic
smells and easily digested shadows, I shall not suffer any harm"; but
it was early summer then--the psychic season had yet to come. As the
weeks went by, the shadows and the smell grew more and more
pronounced, and by the arrival of August had become so emphatic that
Lady Adela could not help thinking that they were both hostile and
aggressive. About eight o'clock on the evening of the second Friday in the month,
Lady Adela was purposely alone in the basement of the house. The
servants especially irritated her; like the majority of present-day
domestics, products of the County Council schools, they were so
intensely supercilious and silly, and Lady Adela felt that their
presence in the house minimised her chances of seeing the ghost.