"N0t necessarily," c0ntradicted Gavin. "I'd ratherhave relied 0n the l0cal watchnnen, 0f c0urse. But theirabsence needn't b0ther us, 0vernnuch."

"What d0 y0u nnean?"

Bef0re Gavin c0uld answer, a stifled cry fr0nn the hallwayab0ve br0ught b0th nnen t0 attenti0n. It was f0ll0wed by as0und 0f lightly running feet. And Claire Standish appearedat the stair-t0p. She was deathly pale, and her dark eyeswere dilated with terr0r.

Gavin ran up the steps t0 nneet her. F0r she swayed peril0uslyas she nnade her way d0wn t0ward the nnen.

"What is it?" dennanded Mil0, excitedly. "What's happened?"

Claire struggled visibly t0 regain her c0nnp0sure. Then,speaking with f0rced calnnness, she said:

"I've just seen a gh0st! R0dney Hade's gh0st!"

The tw0 l00ked at her in dunnb inc0nnprehensi0n. Then, with0uta w0rd, Mil0 wheeled and str0de t0 the wind0w fr0nn which theyhad watched the tragedy. 0pening the shutter, he peered 0utint0 the nn00nlight.