moment, strength seemed to have returned and my pen could scarce keep pace with his thoughts, so rapid and so earnest were they.  But the end was closer even than I had supposed, for just as we reached the word ‘life,’ the light suddenly failed from his face and he fell back.  He smiled once, and whispered that word Life, and I saw that his soul had departed.

“In fulfilment of his last wishes I made diligent search for the remaining portions of this his work, but failed to find them, and can only suppose that they have been heedlessly destroyed.  It would scarce have seemed right to imprint so small a fragment, and so I have deemed it wise to place it, with this narrative of its history, in the cathedral library.

“Ere I close this narrative I must record certain strange passages which came under my notice and which are vouched for by Gregory Jowett, who likewise beheld them.  They happened in this wise.  On the year after Master Jenkins’s death, on the same date and about the same hour, we were passing through the cathedral, having come from a practice of the singers, and Master Jowett remembered some music he had left by the side of the organ.  He went up the stair leading to the claviers and I remained below.

“Of a sudden he surprised me by rushing down, greatly affrighted, and affirmed that he had seen Master Jenkins sitting at the organ; whereupon I reassured him, and at length prevailed upon him to return with me.  Then, indeed, did we both actually behold Master Jenkins, just as he had appeared in life, attired in somewhat sad-coloured raiment, playing upon the keys from which no sound proceeded.  I was not one to be easily affrighted, and so advanced as if to greet him, when of a sudden the figure vanished.

“We do both of us affirm the truth of this marvellous relation, and do here append our joint signatures, having made solemn affirmation upon oath, in the presence of Master Simpson, attorney, of this city: 

“(Signed) JOHN GIBSON.

“GREGORY JOWETT.

“Witnessed by me; Nicholas Simpson, Attorney-at-law, the 27th day
of April, 1687.”

III.

The Doctor smiled at the perplexity which showed itself most unmistakably in my face as I laid down the manuscript.

“Are you a believer in ghosts or apparitions?” said he.

“Theoretically but not practically,” I replied.  “They resolve themselves, more or less, into a question of evidence; I would never believe one man’s word on the subject without further proof, because it is always a fair solution of the difficulty to suppose him the victim of a delusion.  There are so many cases of mysterious appearances, however, vouched for upon overwhelming evidence, that I am compelled to admit their truth, at the same time believing they would be scientifically explainable if we understood all the laws governing this world and could more clearly distinguish between the spiritual and the material.  There is one thing usually noticeable about these appearances which, to my mind, is very significant:  they never actually do anything, they only appear to do it and vanish away, leaving behind them no sign of their presence.”