“Sounds like the Arabian Nights，” said Mrs. White， as sherose and began to set the supper. “Don’t you think you mightwish for four pairs of hands for me？”
Her husband drew the talisman from pocket， and then allthree burst into laughter as the sergeant-major， with a look ofalarm on his face， caught him by the arm.
“If you must wish，” he said， gruffly， “wish for somethingsensible.”
Mr. White dropped it back in his pocket， and placing chairs，motioned his friend to the table. In the business of supperthe talisman was partly forgotten， and afterward the three satlistening in an enthralled fashion to a second instalment of thesoldier’s adventures in India.
“If the tale about the monkey’s paw is not more truthful thanthose he has been telling us，” said Herbert， as the door closedbehind their guest， just in time for him to catch the last train，“we sha’nt make much out of it.”
“Did you give him anything for it， father？” inquired Mrs.
White， regarding her husband closely.
“A trifle，” said he， colouring slightly. “He didn’t want it， butI made him take it. And he pressed me again to throw it away.”
“Likely，” said Herbert， with pretended horror. “Why，we’re going to be rich， and famous and happy. Wish to be anemperor， father， to begin with； then you can’t be henpecked.”
He darted round the table， pursued by the maligned Mrs.
White armed with an antimacassar.
Mr. White took the paw from his pocket and eyed itdubiously. “I don’t know what to wish for， and that’s a fact，”
he said， slowly. “It seems to me I’ve got all I want.”
“If you only cleared the house， you’d be quite happy， wouldn’tyou？” said Herbert， with his hand on his shoulder. “Well， wishfor two hundred pounds， then； that’ll just do it.”
His father， smiling shamefacedly at his own credulity， heldup the talisman， as his son， with a solemn face， somewhatmarred by a wink at his mother， sat down at the piano andstruck a few impressive chords.
“I wish for two hundred pounds，” said the old man distinctly.
A fine crash from the piano greeted the words， interruptedby a shuddering cry from the old man. His wife and son rantoward him.
“It moved，” he cried， with a glance of disgust at the object asit lay on the floor.
“As I wished， it twisted in my hand like a snake.”
“Well， I don’t see the money，” said his son as he picked it upand placed it on the table， “and I bet I never shall.”
“It must have been your fancy， father，” said his wife，regarding him anxiously.
He shook his head. “Never mind， though； there’s no harmdone， but it gave me a shock all the same.”
They sat down by the fire again while the two men finishedtheir pipes. Outside， the wind was higher than ever， and the oldman started nervously at the sound of a door banging upstairs.
A silence unusual and depressing settled upon all three， whichlasted until the old couple rose to retire for the night.
“I expect You’ll find the cash tied up in a big bag in themiddle of your bed，” said Herbert， as he bade them good-night，“and something horrible squatting up on top of the wardrobewatching you as you pocket your ill-gotten gains.”
He sat alone in the darkness， gazing at the dying fire， andseeing faces in it. The last face was so horrible and so simianthat he gazed at it in amazement.’ It got so vivid that， with alittle uneasy laugh， he felt on the table for a glass containinga little water to throw over it. His hand grasped the monkey’spaw， and with a little shiver he wiped his hand on his coat andwent up to bed.
II
In the brightness of the wintry sun next morning as itstreamed over the breakfast table he laughed at his fears. Therewas an air of prosaic wholesomeness about the room which ithad lacked on the previous night， and the dirty， shrivelled littlepaw was pitched on the sideboard with a carelessness whichbetokened no great belief in its virtues.
“I suppose all old soldiers are the same，” said Mrs. White.
“The idea of our listening to such nonsense！ How could wishesbe granted in these days？ And if they could， how could twohundred pounds hurt you， father？”
“Might drop on his head from the sky，” said the frivolousHerbert.
“Morris said the things happened so naturally，” said his father，“that you might if you so wished attribute it to coincidence.”
“Well， don’t break into the money before I come back，” saidHerbert as he rose from the table. “I’m afraid it’ll turn you intoa mean， avaricious man， and we shall have to disown you.”
His mother laughed， and following him to the door， watchedhim down the road； and returning to the breakfast table， wasvery happy at the expense of her husband’s credulity. All ofwhich did not prevent her from scurrying to the door at thepostman’s knock， nor prevent her from referring somewhatshortly to retired sergeant-majors of bibulous habits when shefound that the post brought a tailor’s bill.
“Herbert will have some more of his funny remarks， Iexpect， when he comes home，” she said， as they sat at dinner.
“I dare say，” said Mr. White， pouring himself out some beer；“but for all that， the thing moved in my hand； that I’ll swearto.”
“You thought it did，” said the old lady soothingly.
“I say it did，” replied the other. “There was no thought aboutit； I had just—What’s the matter？”
His wife made no reply. She was watching the mysteriousmovements of a man outside， who， peering in an undecidedfashion at the house， appeared to be trying to make up his mindto enter. In mental connection with the two hundred pounds，she noticed that the stranger was well dressed， and wore a silkhat of glossy newness. Three times he paused at the gate， andthen walked on again. The fourth time he stood with his handupon it， and then with sudden resolution flung it open andwalked up the path. Mrs. White at the same moment placed herhands behind her， and hurriedly unfastening the strings of herapron， put that useful article of apparel beneath the cushion ofher chair.