As Doctor Caritte stood in the doorway for a moment wondering to himself what it all meant, a large piece of plaster came flying from the wall of the room, having in its flight turned a corner and fallen at his feet.  The good doctor picked it up mechanically and placed it on a chair.  He was too astonished to speak.  Just as he did so, the poundings commenced again with redoubled power, this time shaking the entire room.  It must be remembered that during all this time Esther lay upon the bed, almost frightened to death by what was occurring.  After this state of things had continued for about two hours, everything became quiet and she went to sleep.  The doctor said he would not give her any medicine until the next morning, when he would call at nine and give her something to quiet her nerves; for she was certainly suffering from some nervous trouble.  As to the sounds and movements of objects, he could not account for them, but thought if she became strong again they would cease.

In the morning the doctor called as he had promised, and was much surprised to see Esther up and dressed, helping Olive to wash the dishes.  She told him that she felt all right again, only she was so nervous that any sudden noise made her jump.  Having occasion to go down into the cellar with a pan of milk, she came running up, out of breath, exclaiming that there was some one down in the cellar, for a piece of plank had been thrown at her.  The doctor went down to see for himself, Esther remaining in the dining room; for it must be borne in mind that the cellar door opens into the dining room.  In a moment he came up again remarking that there was nobody down there to throw a piece of plank, nor anything else.

“Esther, come down with me,” said he.  So down they both went, when, to their great surprise, several potatoes came flying at their heads.  That was enough.  They both beat a hasty retreat.  The doctor left the house, and called again in the evening, with several very powerful sedatives, morphia being one, which he administered to Esther about ten o’clock as she lay in bed.  She still complained of her nervousness, and said she felt as if electricity was passing all through her body.  He had given her the medicine, and had just remarked that she would have a good night’s rest when the loud sounds commenced, only they were much louder and in more rapid succession than on the previous nights.  Presently the sounds left the room and were heard on the roof of the house.  The doctor instantly left the house and went out into the street, hearing the sounds while in the open air.  He returned to the house more nonplussed than ever, and told the family that from the street it seemed as if some person was on the roof with a heavy sledge hammer pounding away to try and break through the shingles.  Being a moonlight night he could see distinctly that there was not any one out on the roof.  He remained until twelve.  Everything becoming quiet again, he then departed, saying he would call the next day.  When he had got as far as the gate, the sounds on the roof commenced again with great violence, and continued until he had gone about two hundred yards from the cottage, at which distance he could still hear them distinctly.