I do not doubt but that the servants made the ha'nt a convenient scapegoat to answer for their own shortcomings, but still there were several suggestive depredations--horse blankets from the stable, clothes from the line and more edibles than roast chicken from Nancy's larder.

The climax of absurdity was reached when there disappeared a rather trashy French novel, which I had left in the summer house.

I asked Solomon about it, thinking that one of the servants might have brought it in.

Solomon rolled his eyes and suggested that the ha'nt had cotched it.

I laughingly commented upon the occurrence at the supper table and the next day Rad handed me the book; Mose had found it, he said, and had brought it up to his room.
All of these minor occurrences were stretched over a period of, say ten days after the party, and though it gave me the uncomfortable feeling that there was something in the air which I did not understand, I did not let it worry me unduly.