Strange lights at night

Dear Sir WIlliard,

This will have to be a quick note my lord, as I must shortly leave for Dr. Miller's clinic. I have observed the phenomenon that might well have been mistaken for a haunting on my property. It was late last night, by my mantle clock somewhere between two and three o'clock in the morning, when I found myself woken by a throbbing in my loins; sadly, this is not an atypical occurrence but last night as I climbed out of my bed I observed something that made me quickly forget my aroused state.

Through the main window of the master bedroom I have a panoramic view of the lawns leading down to the waterfront and the wide Arjun river sparkling in the moonlight. What caught my eye last night was a light glimmering through the narrow windows of my boathouse. At first Sir Williard, I supposed that I had carelessly left one of the oil lamps burning after my struggle to rebuild the four valves of the Anna Leigh. Before I could berate myself for this lack of attention on my part, I saw the flicker of motion through one of the central slits. Someone was in my boathouse!

More than ever I regretted not making a stronger effort to procure some small arms to defend my property and household, but quickly pulling on my trousers over the long nightshirt I headed down the slope carrying a stout improvised cudgel and the portable aether-lamp that I had discovered on that first day of exploration. Let me assure you, my lord, that this was not an act of madness on my part. You will recall that when I first took up residence I found evidence that the abandoned property had been frequented by local teens or other miscreants, and there was that mystery of the bedding in the loft of the building. I was not planning on facing armed resistance, I expected to chase off either a pilfering Hindustani servant or perhaps a couple of local youths who were looking for some fun at my expense.

To my surprise I found the lock provided by Andrews still firmly securing the doorway to the building; had I left the bar off the watergate? I worked as quickly as I could to unlock the door, but it is difficult to work a key into the heavy padlock while holding the lamp in the crook of my arm. When I reached the building, I could still see the flickering light inside the thick walls, but by the time the door swung open there was nothing but blackness. The beam of light from the handy aether-lamp swung slowly around the empty boat room and workshop, at this point in time, I still expected to find the culprit hiding somewhere in the building, but I was even more confused by the sight of the securely barred water-gates.

"Hello?" I called up into the loft, "Come on down, and it will be better for you." I wasn't eager to climb up the ladder to the loft in the middle of the night, but neither did I want whoever it was that had somehow broken into my boathouse to escape without a severe scolding. After several seconds I determined that I had no real option and I carefully climbed the ladder, my bludgeon in one hand and the aether-lamp in the other. The loft was as empty as the downstairs. I know for certain, Sir Williard, that I did not imagine the light that I saw, for the glass globe of the lamp hanging over the work bench was still very warm to the touch. I spent several minutes searching among the old supplies in the loft and I assure you that there was no one anywhere in the small building.

It was only at that point, Sir Willard that I even remembered Miss Alice's inquiry about the hauntings at my humble cottage; after all a tormented spirit could get in and out of a locked building without the hassle of a key. I dismissed this notion with an irritated shake of my head however, my Lord, I ask you this: what would the spirit of Miss Katheryn Alterson need with the light from an oil-lamp?

No, this is no haunting that -