He lifted his head, turned to his father, and said,

’Your lordship’s commands have been disregarded.  One of your people is absent.’

The marquis turned to lord Charles.

‘Call me the ushers of the hall, my lord,’ he said.

In a moment the two officers were before him.

‘Search and see, and bring me word who is absent,’ said the marquis.

The two gentlemen went down into the crowd, one from each side of the dais.

A minute or two passed, and then Mr. Cook came back and said,—­

‘My lord, I cannot find Caspar Kaltoff.’

‘Caspar!  Art not there, Caspar?’ cried lord Herbert.

‘Here I am, my lord,’ answered the voice of Caspar from somewhere in the hall.

‘I beg your lordship’s pardon,’ said Mr. Cook.  ’I failed to find him.’

‘It matters not, master usher.  Look again,’ said lord Herbert.

At the moment, Caspar, the sole attendant spirit, that day at least, upon his lord’s commands, stood in one of the deep windows behind the crimson cloth, more than twenty feet above the heads of the assembly.  The windows were connected by a narrow gallery in the thickness of the wall, communicating also with the minstrels’ gallery, by means of which, and a ladder against the porch, Caspar could come and go unseen.

As lord Herbert spoke, Mr. Moyle came up on the dais, and brought his report that mistress Amanda Fuller was not with the rest of the ladies.

Lord Herbert turned to his wife.

‘My lady,’ he said, ’mistress Amanda is of your people:  knowest thou wherefore she cometh not?’

‘I know not, my lord, but I will send and see,’ replied lady Margaret.—­’My lady Broughton, wilt thou go and inquire wherefore the damsel disregardeth my lord of Worcester’s commands?’

She had chosen the gentlest-hearted of her women to go on the message.

Lady Broughton came back pale and trembling—­indeed there was much pallor and trembling that day in Raglan—­with the report that she could not find her.  A shudder ran through the whole body of the hall.  Plainly the impression was that she had been fetched. The thunder and the smoke had not been for nothing:  the devil had claimed and carried off his own!  On the dais the impression was somewhat different; but all were one in this, that every eye was fixed on lord Herbert, every thought hanging on his pleasure.

For a whole minute he stood, apparently lost in meditation.  The bat still rested on his hand, but his wings were still.

He had intended causing it to settle on Amanda’s head, but now he must alter his plan.  Nor was he sorry to do so, for it had involved no small risk of failure, the toy requiring most delicate adjustment, and its management a circumspection and nicety that occasioned him no little anxiety.  It had indeed been arranged that Amanda should sit right under the window next the dais, so that he might have the assistance