Very shortly, this movement of the furniture began again, unmistakably in my room this time. Curiously enough, it did not frighten me at all nor suggest burglars (a far greater terror to me than ghosts!). I cannot at this distance of time remember _why_ the idea of Mr Myers should have come to me in connection with these noises; but I am quite certain that I _did_ think of him at the time, and fully expected his name to be given, when I asked if anyone wished to speak to me and were trying to attract my attention by moving the furniture about.
It was greatly to my surprise, therefore, that the name of _Gifford_ was given. I may here note that this was the real name given to me. He said he was a judge, one who had lived fifty or sixty years previously, that he had once unintentionally condemned an innocent man to be hanged, and he was evidently still greatly perturbed about this, and begged for my prayers.
All this put Mr Myers entirely out of my head--_unfortunately_, as events proved.
I had some further talk with Judge Gifford, but do not remember it in detail.
Next morning I told my cousin of my experience, and on the evening of the following day mentioned it in the presence of some neighbours at _table d'hôte_ who had introduced psychic subjects to us.
This gentleman and his wife were both impressed, and yet incredulous, and when my cousin laughingly declared that "Gifford had come to _her_ the second night, but that she told him she was too tired out to listen to him," we all three supposed that she was turning the whole subject into ridicule. This would have been quite characteristic of her, although I have always thought she had some mediumistic faculty, and was one of the many people whom I should advise to leave these matters alone. I was the more convinced that she was merely "chaffing" on this occasion, because when I warned our acquaintances of her powers of exaggeration in "making fun" of things, she said nothing.
But when we had returned to our rooms that night she remarked quite quietly: "But he _did_ come, Emmie! When you said that at _table d'hôte_ about my exaggerating things, I let it pass, because very often it is true. But what I said this evening was _absolutely correct_, though perhaps it is as well those people should not believe it. Someone _did_ come to my bedside last night, and said: 'I am Gifford--will you listen to me?' And I said: 'No; not to-night. I am too tired,' just as I told you."