Page:Marsh--The seen and the unseen.djvu/106

82 its revenges! All things come to those who wait—at last! at last! After many days I've found a friend."

I tried to breathe. I could not. Something seemed to choke me. I was overcome by a great weight of horror and disgust It seemed to stifle me.

"Do you know where we are sitting, you and I? This carriage is an old familiar friend. It was here I shot John Osborn."

"What!"

The sense of loathing, even the sense of fear, with which I heard him make, so callously, this hideous confession, gave me strength to snap the spell with which he had seemed to bind me to the seat I sprang from him with a cry. He was not in the least disturbed.

"Yes, it was in this very carriage. Some strange fate has led us hither. See, he was seated there." He pointed to the comer of the carriage which was behind my back. Turning, I glanced over my shoulder with an irrepressible shudder. "I almost think I see him now. Ah, John Osborn, where's your ghost? Would it not be a strange encounter were we ghosts to meet? He was seated there. I was seated just in front of him, behind you on the other side. There were four other men with us in the carriage. I think I see them. Would that all we ghosts were met again, so that we might react the scene before your eyes! I had won—ah! what a sum I'd won. John Osborn's temper was a little warped. He had said a nasty thing or two. He did not like to lose. I made an awkward pass with an ace of clubs. He caught me by the wrist, crying,