Dole icily, "or she would know that the Cullumpton ghost has a
wealth of evidence behind it--"
"Oh, Popple!" exclaimed Mrs. Hatch-Mallard scornfully; "any rubbishy old
story is good enough for him. Popple, indeed! Now my uncle's ghost was
seen by a Rural Dean, who was also a Justice of the Peace. I should
think that would be good enough testimony for any one. Mrs. Norbury, I
shall take it as a deliberate personal affront if your clairvoyante
friend sees any other ghost except that of my uncle."
"I daresay she won't see anything at all; she never has yet, you know,"
said Mrs. Norbury hopefully.
"It was a most unfortunate topic for me to have broached," she lamented
afterwards to the owner of the chinchilla voice; "Exwood belongs to Mrs.
Hatch-Mallard, and we've only got it on a short lease. A nephew of hers
has been wanting to live there for some time, and if we offend her in any
way she'll refuse to renew the lease. I sometimes think these garden-
parties are a mistake."
The Norburys played bridge for the next three nights till nearly one
o'clock; they did not care for the game, but it reduced the time at their
guest's disposal for undesirable ghostly visitations.
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