Chapter 2

           Thestormragedfiercelyallthatnight, butnothingofparticularnoteoccurred. Thenextmorning,however,whentheycamedowntobreakfast, theyfoundtheterriblestainofbloodonceagainonthefloor. "Idon’tthinkitcanbethefaultoftheParagonDetergent," saidWashington, "forIhavetrieditwitheverything. Itmustbetheghost." Heaccordinglyrubbedoutthestainasecondtime, butthesecondmorningitappearedagain. Thethirdmorningalsoitwasthere, thoughthelibraryhadbeenlockedupatnightbyMr.Otishimself, andthekeycarriedup-stairs. Thewholefamilywerenowquiteinterested; Mr.Otisbegantosuspect thathehadbeentoodogmaticinhisdenialoftheexistenceofghosts, Mrs.OtisexpressedherintentionofjoiningthePsychicalSociety, andWashingtonpreparedalonglettertoMessrs.MyersandPodmore onthesubjectofthePermanenceofSanguineousStains whenconnectedwithCrime. Thatnightalldoubtsabouttheobjectiveexistenceofphantasmata wereremovedforever. 

           Thedayhadbeenwarmandsunny; and,inthecooloftheevening,thewholefamilywentouttodrive. Theydidnotreturnhometillnineo’clock, whentheyhadalightsupper. Theconversationinnowayturneduponghosts, sotherewerenoteventhoseprimaryconditionsofreceptiveexpectations whichsooftenprecedethepresentationofpsychicalphenomena. 

           Thesubjectsdiscussed,asIhavesincelearnedfromMr.Otis, weremerelysuchasformtheordinaryconversationofculturedAmericans ofthebetterclass, suchastheimmensesuperiorityofMissFannyDevonportoverSarahBernhardtasanactress; thedifficultyofobtaininggreencorn,buckwheatcakes,andhominy, eveninthebestEnglishhouses;