John Hallock is a ghost story writer who agrees to write another story for his publisher Jenkins. However, he is unable to come up with a new plot idea. He is then visited by the ghost Helen, who says the ghosts have formed a writers' inspirational bureau to help writers but are now on strike. She tells Hallock to stop his wife and her friends from using a Ouija board or the ghosts will not help him. Despite this, Hallock's wife brings home a Ouija board to use with her book club. Reluctantly, Hallock joins in the session, worsening the situation when his responses through the board are misinterpreted. His wife becomes suspicious of him until the ghost Helen

1. A Shady Plot

2. List Of Characters
John Hallock - Narrator
Jenkins – John’s Boss
Gladolia – The maid
Helen – She Ghost
Lavinia Hallock – John’s wife
Laura Hinkle – Lavinia’s friend

3. Overview
Hallock, Give us
another on the
John Hallock was a ghost supernatural this
fiction writer. Though his time. Something
to give them the
stories were not published in all horrors!
magazines, there was at least
Precisely!
Jenkins' magazine to publish
his stories. For this, Hallock
was in debt to his publisher and
so it was hard to think of
refusing another ghost story for
Jenkins whenever he wanted
one.

4. Having agreed to write another story for Jenkins, John Hallock
sat at his table, waiting for a new plot. He waited and waited for
such a long time but no idea for a plot dawned in his mind but
mind wandered off to things like his wife’s habit of buying every
new fad in the market. Then for the first time he was visited by a
real ghost!
How am I going to cure her of
her alarming tendency to take
up every new fad?
This writing
business is
delightful, isn’t
it?
Yes… I should
say it is!

5. The she-ghost, Helen, descends and says that all the ghosts are going on
leave and that they be not disturbed by people like him.. She explains that
it is actually the ghosts who have been helping all the writers to get new
plots to write on. They have formed the writers inspirational bureau
which helps the new writers. They are now on strike. If he wants them to
help him then he has to stop all his relatives from using Ouija Board.

6. At noon, while he is still trying to work on a story, his wife Lavina
brings a Ouija Board home and announces her party with the women
from her Book Club. The writer, drowned in consternation by her
declaration, tries to convince Lavina, his wife, to drop the idea.
You Know I
bought the
loveliest thing
It… it this afternoon.
isn’t…
You’d never guess
in the world. It’s
the
duckiest, darlingest
Ouija Board, and so
cheap! I got it at a
bargain sale.

7. When he came back from work his wife made him a partner of
Laura Hinkle, one of the women from the Book Club who is quiet
fond of Mr. Hallock (the author), to work on one of the Ouija
boards. Though he tried to resist, his wife paid no heed.
John! John, dear, I know you
will help us out. Poor Laura
Hinkle is without a partner.
Laura can’t work a Ouija by
herself, and she’ll have a
bad time unless you…
Me! Me! I
won’t……

8. When the spirit descended, Laura asked it to tell something

9. Questionnaire Break
Why was John reluctant to join Laura in the party?
Ans. He was reluctant to join the party as the ghost had asked him to
stop his relatives and himself from using Ouija Board.
Why was Helen calling John a traitor?
Ans. She was calling him a traitor as he had to stop people using
Ouija Board but he himself was using it.
How did John’s affliction worsen the situation?
Ans. The series of events made his wife suspicious of him.

10. As soon as Lavinia came back from behind the books Mrs. Laura
Hinkle coyly explained the series of events that had just happened.
Why, isn't
that What is?
curious!
Someone giving
the name of Helen
has just been
calling for your
husband here.

11. Questionnaire Break
How did John’s affliction worsen the situation?
Ans. The series of events made his wife suspicious of him.
Why did Mrs. Laura Hinkle simpered?
Ans. All the women were gossiping in nature and they without
thinking of the consequences started making unnecessary talks out
of it.

12. A little grammar
“Misto Hallock, de Missus sho t'inks you's lost! She say she done 'phone
you dis mawnin' to be home early, but fo' de lawd's sake not to stop to
argify now, but get ready fo' de company an' come on down.”
Gladolia, the narrator’s cook, is an African. She has spoken these words.
The language/her pronunciation is different from others. This is known as
Dialect. A dialect consists of words and phrases that reflect the regional
variety of a language.

13. I am leaving! My
lawyer will contact
you!

14. Back in his room when john is in a mournful state and Helen re-
appears and asks him of when his wife would get rid of the Ouija
Board. However, Lavina entered to bid him bye. She felt the
queerness about him and demanded like a boss what was he trying
to conceal behind him and thrusted him aside only to see the ghost
lady Helen. She was flabbergasted, and then she realized that
she had speculated all wrongs that her husband was possibly
flirting with Helen of troy over the Ouija Board. Finally the
ghost departed and Lavina apologized to her husband. After that
the narrator suddenly felt the desire to write as the ghosts had
given up their strike and were now ready to help him.

15. Thank You
Presented by:-
Deepanshu Sharma
X–B
09
K.V.No- 4 , Jaipur