vi] THE RED BARON. 291

 

‘But you must be frightened!’ hescreamed out,‘ you
shall be frightened! All the people about here are
frightened at me, if I ever deign toshow myself to them!’

‘More fools they,’ responded the traveller, and then
added in a meditative tone, ‘I have always thought
that ghosts were only terrible on account of the folly
of mortals which makes them so. There caz be
nothing terrible in them really, if people would only
treat them in an ordinary manner.’

“You shalt be frightened, though, said the little red
man in a threatening tone, ‘before you leave this castle!’

‘Very likely, remarked the traveller with imper-
turbable calmness. ‘I never said I shouldn’t. However,
now that my fire has burnt up, allow me, thanking you
kindly for your chairs, if indeed they ave yours, to sit
down to my supper. I would ask you to join me, in
spite of your rudeness, only unfortunately I haven’t
got enough here for two.’

‘Well!’ exclaimed the other in a tone of surprise,
‘I wll say you are the coolest hand I have seen for
many a long day. I say! I know where there is some
wonderful old madeira in this castle. If I fetcha
bottle, shall we share it ?’

‘Oh you old rascal!’ said the traveller, who by
this time had drawn up the best of the remaining
chairs to the table, and, seating himself thereupon, had
begun to make preparations for his meal. ‘Oh you
old scamp! You are up to your tricks, I know! You
would doctor the bottle, and I should find myself
bewitched, or changed into a ghost mysclf, or some-
thing uncomfortable before morning’

‘No!’ cried the little red man. ‘Upon the honour

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