midnight
Indeed , I felt more certain than ever that a living person had been playing pranks in the latter case , to serve some purpose of his own ; the impossibility of fraud in my regard contrasted strongly with its probability at the old mill . I was not deceived in my expectation . I found that the boards that usually covered the window opening had been carefully removed , and were standing in a corner awaiting replacement , probably . Here was a sign that the midnight visitor had been surprised , and had not dared to wait to cover up the window again -- unless , indeed , it meant that another `` apparition '' was intended . But a more close investigation convinced me of trickery . Flung away into a corner was a small brush bearing traces of luminous paint , and in a heap of rubbish I discerned the very lid of a small tin of that effective spiritualistic medium . No further proof was needed .