It would be unnecessary to quote all the preliminary correspondence; but the following passages from Lord Bute’s letters to Miss Freer help to explain the situation, and the relation of those concerned:—­

“December 20th.—­ ...  I am afraid I shall encroach even further upon your kindness.  Myers has all the papers, but I fancy you would rather know as little as possible, so as not to be influenced by expectation.  It is no case of roughing it.  B——­ House is, I believe, a luxurious country house, ample, though not too large, in a beautiful neighbourhood....”

A letter of December 22nd refers to a suggestion that the phenomena were produced by trickery, a fact which is mentioned to show that the possibility was kept in view from the first.

On January 23rd, “Not a day should be lost in beginning the observation, which ought to be continuous.  Such a chance has never occurred before, and may never occur again.  Orders have been given to get the house ready for immediate occupation.”

Miss Freer, accompanied by her friend Miss Constance Moore (a daughter of the late Rev. Daniel Moore, Prebendary of St. Paul’s and Chaplain, to the Queen), arrived at B——­ House on February 3, 1897.

FOOTNOTES: 

[A] Here and in all references to rooms by their numbers, see Frontispiece.

[B] See her own account, p. 64.  The account here given, as will be seen, is not quite accurate as to the precise rooms.  Mrs.  “G.” slept in the wing.

JOURNAL KEPT DURING A VISIT TO B——­ HOUSE

JOURNAL KEPT DURING A VISIT TO B——­ HOUSE

February 3rd, Wednesday.—­Constance Moore and I arrived from Edinburgh, with Mac., the maid, a little after 10 P.M., having sent on beforehand the following servants:—­Robinson and Mrs. Robinson, butler and cook; Carter and Hannah, two housemaids.

I had engaged them on behalf of Colonel Taylor in Edinburgh last evening.  They had all good characters, and were well recommended.  We told them nothing, of course, of the reputation of the house, and were careful to choose persons of mature age, and not excitable girls.

I had seen no plans nor photographs of the house, and merely desired that any rooms should be prepared for us that were near together—­i.e. bedroom, dressing-room, and maid’s room.  Mr. C——­ [who met us in Edinburgh, and is a lawyer, mentioned hereafter], who had seen plans, asked what orders we had given, and remarked that, as far as he knew, we should secure one quiet night, as the “haunted” part contained, apparently, no dressing-rooms.

The house looked very gloomy.  It was not cold out of doors, though thick snow lay on the ground.  Inside it felt like a vault, having been empty for months.  None of the stores ordered had arrived.  We had no linen, knives,