Fifteen ghost stories to hear around the Yule log. "It happened that I spent the last winter in a large country mansion, in the north of England, where we had a succession of visitors, and all manner of amusements—... In short, we began to tell ghost stories; and although some of the party professed an utter disbelief in apparitions, they proved to be as fertile as the believers in their contributions—relating something that had happened to themselves or their friends, as having undoubtedly occurred, or to all appearance, occurred—only, with the reservation, that it must certainly have been a dream. The substance of these conversations fills the following pages, and I have told the stories as nearly as possible in the words of the original narrators." ( Author's Preface and david wales)