I have traveled pretty well all over the world, I have slept in houses said to be haunted, but nothing have I seen--no noises that could not be accounted for by rats or the wind have I ever heard.

I have never "-- and here he paused--"never but once met with any circumstances or occurrence that could not be accounted for by the light of reason, and I know you prefer hearing stories of my own adventures to mere invention." "Yes, uncle.

But what was the 'once' when circumstances happened that you could not explain ?" "It's rather a long story," the colonel said, "and it's getting late." "Oh! no, no, uncle; it does not matter a bit how late we sit up on Christmas Eve, and the longer the story is, the better; and if you don't believe in ghosts how can it be a story of something you could not account for by the light of nature ?" "You will see when I have done," the colonel said.

"It is rather a story of what the Scotch call second sight, than one of ghosts.

As to accounting for it, you shall form your own opinion when you have heard me to the end.
"I landed in India in '50, and after going through the regular drill work marched with a detachment up country to join my regiment, which was stationed at Jubbalpore, in the very heart of India.