“Yes, sah.  I reckon this yere am de new missus.”

“Yes,” and I assisted her into the rear seat.  “That’s all; now jog along.”

He climbed into his place, but with no special alacrity; but whipped his team into a swift trot, evidently anxious to complete the trip as early as possible.  I glanced aside at my companion, observing the paleness of her face.

“Surely you are not afraid of the negro’s ghost?” I questioned.

“Oh, no, but the strangeness of it all has got on my nerves.  I did not suppose it would be so hard, and—­and I am not so sure now that we ought to do this.”

“But that is foolish,” I insisted, a bit angrily.  “We talked it all over, you know, and no harm can be done, except through our discovery.  Don’t fail me now.”

“Oh, I am not going to fail,” indignantly.  “The ride will steady my nerves,” she leaned forward whispering, her head inclined toward the front seat.  “Perhaps he can tell us who we shall meet there?”

“Pete,” I asked, “who is out there now?”

The negro turned, so I could see the whites of his eyes.

“At de Henley plantation, sah?  Why, I reckon de oberseer an’ de housekeeper—­both white folks.  I done don’t know just who dey am fer shure, cause dey don’t stay long no more.  I reckon dey can’t abide dat ghost, sah, an’ de field han’s dey won’t stay on de place at all affer dark.”

“The overseer and housekeeper then are newly employed?”

“Dem am de fac’s, sah.  Deh ain’t been dar no time at all, an’ I reckon as how dey won’t stay long, though de niggers say de oberseer am a hell ob a man.”

Here was a pleasant situation surely.  While the conditions were favorable enough so far as our purpose was concerned, yet I fervently wished we had postponed our arrival until daylight.  While the negro’s ghost had no terrors for me—­indeed, merely afforded amusement—­I realized my companion was not so indifferent.  She pressed closer to me in the narrow seat, her eyes on the dusky shadows.  I endeavored to laugh away her fears, but got little response.  The road was a lonely one, although apparently well traveled, bordered by rail fences and, deserted-looking fields.  Once we passed through a swamp, and skirted the edge of timber.  Then we turned to the right into a branch track, where low bushes brushed our wheels.  By this time it was quite dark, and Pete was obliged to hold in his horses.  There was a quarter moon in the sky, just enough to give everything a spectral look, with no human habitation visible, and owls hooting dismally in the distance.  It was uncanny in the extreme, and even I felt the desolation, and became silent.  Pete whistled stoutly, but without enthusiasm, occasionally turning his head to make sure we were still there.  I could hear her quick breathing, and feel an occasional clutch of her fingers on my sleeve at some unusual sound.  Suddenly the negro pulled up before a high hedge, and I perceived the white glimmer of a gate opposite us, the black shadow of trees beyond.