W. W. Jacobs

“ White nodded.
"I had an uncle that saw one," he said.
"It always is somebody else that sees them," said Barnes.
"Well, there is a house," said Meagle, "a large house at an absurdly low rent, and nobody will take it. It has taken toll of at least one life of every family that has lived there—however short the time—and since it has stood empty caretaker after care-taker has died there. ”

“ Most of the cottages were already in darkness, and lights in others went out as they passed.
"It seems rather hard that we have got to lose a night's rest in order to convince Barnes of the existence of ghosts," said White.
"It's in a good cause," said Meagle. "A most worthy object; and something seems to tell me that we shall succeed. You didn't forget the candles, Lester?"
"I have brought two," was the reply; "all the old man could spare." ”

“ Barnes held up his hand for silence.
"Yes?" said Meagle with a grin at the other two. "Is anybody coming?"
"Suppose we drop this game and go back," said Barnes suddenly. "I don't believe in spirits, but nerves are outside anybody's command. You may laugh as you like, but it really seemed to me that I heard a door open below and steps on the stairs."
His voice was drowned in a roar of laughter.
"He is coming round," said Meagle with a smirk. "By the time I have done with him he will be a confirmed believer. Well, who will go and get some water? Will you, Barnes?" ”

“ He found the long corridor and raced along it at top speed. The stairs he knew were at the end, and with the steps close behind he descended them in blind haste. The steps gained on him, and he shrank to the side to let them pass, still continuing his headlong flight. Then suddenly he seemed to slip off the earth into space.
Lester awoke in the morning to find the sunshine streaming into the room, and White sitting up and regarding with some perplexity a badly blistered finger.
"Where are the others?" inquired Lester. "Gone, I suppose," said White. "We must have been asleep." ”

“ Then he peered curiously into the void beneath.
"This is where the tramp hanged himself, I suppose," he said thoughtfully.
"You've got an unwholesome mind," said White, as they walked on. "This place is quite creepy enough without you remembering that. Now let's find a comfortable room and have a little nip of whisky apiece and a pipe. How will this do?"
He opened a door at the end of the passage and revealed a small square room. Meagle led the way with the candle, and, first melting a drop or two of tallow, stuck it on the mantelpiece. ”

“ List of Illustrations
"THE TOLL-HOUSE"
"It's all nonsense," said Jack Barnes. "Of course people have died in the house; people die in every house. As for the noises—wind in the chimney and rats in the wainscot are very convincing to a nervous man. Give me another cup of tea, Meagle."
"Lester and White are first," said Meagle, who was presiding at the tea-table of the Three Feathers Inn. ”

“ We have been walking for ten days now without an adventure--except Barnes's discovery that ditch-water smells longest. It will be a novelty, at any rate, and, if we break the spell by all surviving, the grateful owner ought to come down handsome."
"Let's see what the landlord has to say about it first," said Lester. "There is no fun in passing a night in an ordinary empty house. ”

“ White produced a pack of cards; talk and laughter rang through the room and died away reluctantly in distant corridors.
"Empty rooms always delude me into the belief that I possess a deep voice," said Meagle. "To-morrow——"
He started up with a smothered exclamation as the light went out suddenly and something struck him on the head. The others sprang to their feet. Then Meagle laughed.
"It's the candle," he exclaimed. "I didn't stick it enough."
Barnes struck a match and relighting the candle stuck it on the mantelpiece, and sitting down took up his cards again. ”

“ He could now see better in the darkness, and finding himself at last at the foot of the staircase, began to ascend it noiselessly. He reached the landing just in time to see a figure disappear round the angle of a wall. ”