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looking eagerly over the right…hand side of the bed when the
final flash of light came； but they discovered nothing。 The fair
woman with the knife was gone。
The conviction that he was alone again weakened the hold of the
terror that had struck him dumb up to this time。 The
preternatural sharpness which the very intensity of his panic had
mysteriously imparted to his faculties left them suddenly。 His
brain grew confusedhis heart beat wildlyhis ears opened for
the first time since the appearance of the woman to a sense of
the woeful ceaseless moaning of the wind among the trees。 With
the dreadful conviction of the reality of what he had seen still
strong within him； he leaped out of bed； and screaming 〃Murder！
Wake up； there！ wake up！〃 dashed headlong through the darkness to
the door。
It was fast locked； exactly as he had left it on going to bed。
His cries on starting up had alarmed the house。 He heard the
terrified； confused exclamations of women； he saw the master of
the house approaching along the passage with his burning
rush…candle in one hand and his gun in the other。
〃What is it？〃 asked the landlord； breathlessly。 Isaac could only
answer in a whisper。 〃A woman； with a knife in her hand；〃 he
gasped out。 〃In my rooma fair； yellow…haired woman； she jobbed
at me with the knife twice over。〃
The landlord's pale cheeks grew paler。 He looked at Isaac eagerly
by the flickering light of his candle； and his face began to get
red again； his voice altered； too； as well as his complexion。
〃She seems to have missed you twice；〃 he said。
〃I dodged the knife as it came down；〃 Isaac went on； in the same
scared whisper。 〃It struck the bed each time。〃
The landlord took his candle into the bedroom immediately。 In
less than a minute he came out again into the passage in a
violent passion。
〃The devil fly away with you and your woman with the knife！ There
isn't a mark in the bedclothes anywhere。 What do you mean by
coming into a man's place and frightening his family out of their
wits about a dream？〃
〃I'll leave your house；〃 said Isaac； faintly。 〃Better out on the
road； in rain and dark； on my road home； than back again in that
room； after what I've seen in it。 Lend me a light to get my
clothes by； and tell me what I'm to pay。〃
〃Pay！〃 cried the landlord； leading the way with his light sulkily
into the bedroom。 〃You'll find your score on the slate when you
go downstairs。 I wouldn't have taken you in for all the money
you've got about you if I'd known your dreaming； screeching ways
beforehand。 Look at the bed。 Where's the cut of a knife in it？
Look at the windowis the lock bursted？ Look at the door （which
I heard you fasten yourself）is it broke in？ A murdering woman
with a knife in my house！ You ought to be ashamed of yourself！〃
Isaac answered not a word。 He huddled on his clothes； and then
they went downstairs together。
〃Nigh on twenty minutes past two！〃 said the landlord； as they
passed the clock。 〃A nice time in the morning to frighten honest
people out of their wits！〃
Isaac paid his bill； and the landlord let him out at the front
door； asking； with a grin of contempt； as he undid the strong
fastenings； whether 〃the murdering woman got in that way。〃
They parted without a word on either side。 The rain had ceased；
but the night was dark； and the wind bleaker than ever。 Little
did the darkness； or the cold； or the uncertainty about the way
home matter to Isaac。 If he had been turned out into a wilderness
in a thunder…storm it would have been a relief after what he had
suffered in the bedroom of the inn。
What was the fair woman with the knife？ The creature of a dream；
or that other creature from the unknown world called among men by
the name of ghost？ He could make nothing of the mysteryhad made
nothing of it； even when it was midday on Wednesday； and when he
stood； at last； after many times missing his road； once more on
the doorstep of home。
CHAPTER III。
His mother came out eagerly to receive him。
His face told her in a moment that something was wrong。
〃I've lost the place； but that's my luck。 I dreamed an ill dream
last night； motheror maybe I saw a ghost。 Take it either way；
it scared me out of my senses； and I'm not my own man again yet。〃
〃Isaac； your face frightens me。 Come in to the firecome in； and
tell mother all about it。〃
He was as anxious to tell as she was to hear； for it had been his
hope； all the way home； that his mother； with her quicker
capacity and superior knowledge； might be able to throw some
light on the mystery which he could not clear up for himself。 His
memory of the dream was still mechanically vivid； though his
thoughts were entirely confused by it。
His mother's face grew paler and paler as he went on。 She never
interrupted him by so much as a single word； but when he had
done； she moved her chair close to his； put her arm round his
neck； and said to him：
〃Isaac； you dreamed your ill dream on this Wednesday morning。
What time was it when you saw the fair woman with the knife in
her hand？〃 Isaac reflected on what the landlord had said when
they had passed by the clock on his leaving the inn； allowed as
nearly as he could for the time that must have elapsed between
the unlocking of his bedroom door and the paying of his bill just
before going away； and answered：
〃Somewhere about two o'clock in the morning。〃
His mother suddenly quitted her hold of his neck； and struck her
hands together with a gesture of despair。
〃This Wednesday is your birthday； Isaac； and two o'clock in the
morning was the time when you were born。〃
Isaac's capacities were not quick enough to catch the infection
of his mother's superstitious dread。 He was amazed； and a little
startled； also； when she suddenly rose from her chair； opened her
old writing…desk； took pen； ink and paper； and then said to him：
〃Your memory is but a poor one； Isaac； and； now I'm an old woman；
mine's not much better。 I want all about this dream of yours to
be as well known to both of us； years hence； as it is now。 Tell
me over again all you told me a minute ago； when you spoke of
what the woman with the knife looked like。〃
Isaac obeyed； and marveled much as he saw his mother carefully
set down on paper the very words that he was saying。
〃Light gray eyes；〃 she wrote； as they came to the descriptive
part； 〃with a droop in the left eyelid； flaxen hair； with a
gold…yellow streak in it； white arms； with a down upon them；
little lady's hand； with a reddish look about the finger nails；
clasp…knife with a buck…horn handle； that seemed as good as new。〃
To these particulars Mrs。 Scatchard added the year； month； day of
the week； and time in the morning when the woman of the dream
appeared to her son。 She then locked up the paper carefully in
her writing…desk。
Neither on that day nor on any day after could her son induce her
to return to the matter of the dream。 She obstinately kept her
thoughts about it to herself； and even refused to refer again to
the paper in her writing…desk。 Ere long Isaac grew weary of
attempting to make her break her resolute silence； and time；
which sooner or later wears out all things； g