What nonsense has got into your head now ?" "Because, mother, I met him to-day.

That is, he said he was Apollyon, and that he would come and carry me off if--" Half apprehensive at my boldness, I cast an anxious look around as I spoke.

Nothing met my eyes but the familiar furniture and the dancing shadows on the wall, until their gaze fell upon the window, and rested there, whilst my heart grew suddenly stiff with terror, and my tongue clave to my mouth.
As my voice broke off suddenly, mother glanced at me in expectation.
Seeing my fixed stare and dropped jaw, she too looked at the window, then started to her feet with a shriek.
For there, looking in upon us with a wicked smile, was the white face of the sailor Rhodojani.
For a second or two, petrified with horror, we stood staring at it.
The evil smile flickered for a moment, baring the white teeth and lighting the depths of those wolfish eyes; then, with a fiendish laugh, vanished in the darkness.
He had, then, told the truth when he promised to haunt me.
Beyond the shock of mortal terror, I was but little amazed.
It seemed but natural that he should come as he had threatened.
Only I was filled with awful expectation of his vengeance, and stood aghast at the consequences of my rashness.

By instinct I turned to my mother for protection.
But what ailed her?
She had fallen back in her chair and was still staring with parted lips at the dark pane that a minute ago had framed the horrid countenance.

When at last she spoke, her words were wild and meaningless, with a dreadful mockery of laughter that sent a swift pang of apprehension to my heart.
"Mother, it is gone.