The Argosy — page 73: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

On the Supernatural. 43 always ready to study the wishes of others rather than his own: and who carried sunshine with him wherever he went. A short time after the receipt of the letter, I had just stepped into bed one night, and was in the act of lying down, when I heard the low, distinct, steady step as of a large man advancing towards my door, and stop on the mat outside. As we were the only lodgers, and there was no man whatever in the house, and I knew that everybody was in bed, I felt rather alarmed ; for the door, contrary to my usual custom, was not locked. I sat up for a minute or two, quite still, my eyes fixed on the door handle, expecting every moment to see it turn, and someone walk in; but there was no further sound outside. I got out of bed, opened the door, and looked out. Nothing, however, was to be seen but the darkness of the passage; and the stillness of death seemed to reign throughout the house. Closing the door more quickly than I had opened it, and taking care this time to lock it, I again retired to bed, but only to be kept awake until daylight by a succession of the most unaccountable notses it is possible to conceive; noises so significant that each seemed to articulate its own special message, in a way which none can understand but those who have gone through similar ex- periences. . I had never passed such a night, with the exception of those two nights in Wimpole Street ; and trust I may never pass such another. In the morning the circumstances were entered in my diary ; and when a letter, announcing the death of my brother-in-law, reached me, I referred to them. I was startled to find that he died the very same night ; and, as far as could be judged, allowing for the difference of time, at the very hour when I had heard the steps approaching my door. The following was told me by his widow, three or four years afterwards. Like many who have lived much abroad, my sister is a great advo- cate for open doors and plenty of fresh air, and consequently always sleeps with her bedroom door wide open. Her only little daughter slept in a cot beside her mother’s bed; and one night—or rather morning, for it was almost two o'clock a.m. s—my sister was aroused by hearing a man enter her room, and walk straight to the dressing-table. It was quite dark, and as she never burns a light she was unable to see anything. Greatly alarmed, thinking it was a burglar and anxious to hear a sound, even of the child’s voice, she said, scarcely above a whisper, not knowing whether the little thing was awake or not: “ Will Florrie come into mamma's bed ?” Instantly, and without uttering a word, the child bounded into her mother’s bed, where she lay trembling in her arms, much alarmed GOR GOOOo dhe TM