"Emphatically not, though I am not a materialist, as you are aware.My generation of practitioners has little difficulty in reconciling our creed with our cult, though few of the younger men are able to do so, I admit.But science is science, and not for a moment do I imagine anything supernatural here.I think, however, there are unconscious forces at work, and those responsible for setting those forces in action would be criminals without a doubt, if they knew what they were doing.The man who fires a rifle at an animal, if he hits and kills it, is the destroyer, though he may operate from half a mile away.On the other hand, the agents may be unconscious of what they are doing."'There is no human being in this house for whom I would not answer." " I know it.We beat the wind.It will be time enough to considerpresently.Indeed, I should rather that you strove to relieve your mind of the problem.You have enough to do without that.Leave it to those professionally trained in such mysteries.If a man is responsible for this atrocious thing, then it should be within the reach of man's wits to find him.We failed before; but this time no casual examination of this place, or the antecedents of your son-in-law's life, will serve the purpose.We must go to the bottom, or, rather, skilled minds, trained to do so, must go to the bottom.They will approach the subject from a different angle.They will come unprejudiced and unperturbed.If there has been foul play, they will find it out.In my opinion it is incredible that they will be baffled.""The best men engaged in such work must come to help us.I cannot bring myself to believe the room is haunted, and that this is the operation of an evil force outside Nature, yet permitted by the Creator to destroy human life.The idea is too horrible - it revolts me, Mannering.""Well, it may do so.Banish any such irrational thought from yourmind.It is not worthy of you.I must go now.I will telegraph to London - to Sir Howard Fellowes - also, I think to the State authorities on forensic medicine.A Government analyst must do his part.Shall I communicate with Scotland Yard to-day?""Leave that until the evening.You will come again to see Mary, please.""Mosr certainly I shall.At three o'clock I should have a reply to my messages.I will go into Newton Abbot and telephone from there.""I thank you, Mannering.I wish it were possible to do more myself.My mind is cruelly shaken.This awful experience has made an old man of me.""Don't say that.It is awful enough, I admit.But ]ife is full of awful things.Would that you might have escaped them!""Henry will help you, if it is in his power.It would be well if we could give him something to do.He feels guilty in a way.I have little time to observe other people; but -""He's all right.He can run into Newton with me now.It looks to me as though his own life had hung on the pitch of a coin.They tossed up! After that - so he tells me - he tried to dissuade your son-in-law, but failed.Lennox is rather cowed and dismayed - naturally.The young, however, survive mental and physical disasters and recover in the most amazing manner.Their mental recuperation is on a par with their bodily powers of recovery.Nature is on their side.Let me urge you to go down and take food.Tf you can even lunch with your party I should.It will distract your mind."Sir Walter declared that he had intended to do so.
"I am an old soldier," he said."It shall not be thought I evade my obligations for personal sorrow.As for this room, it is accursed and I am in a mind to destroy it utterly.""Wait - wait.We shall see what our fellowmen can find out for us.Do not think, because I am practical and business-like, I am not feeling this.Seldom have I had such a shock in nearly forty years' work.You know, without my telling you, how deep and heartfelt is my sympathy.I feel for you both from my soul.""I am sure of that.I will try and forget myself for the present.I must go to my guests.I am very sorry for them also.It is a fearful experience to crash upon their party of pleasure.""I hope Travers may stay.He is a comfort to you, is he not?" "Nobody can be a comfort just now.I shall not ask him to stay.
Fortunately Henry is here.He will stop for the present.Mary is all that matters.I shall take her away as quickly as possible and devote my every thought to her.""I'm sure you will.It is a sad duty, but may prove a very necessary one.Their devotion was absolute.It must go hard with her when she realizes the whole meaning of this."He went his way, and Sir Walter returned to his child again.With her he visited the dead, when told that he could do so.She was now very self-controlled.She stopped a little while only beside her husband.
"How beautiful and happy he looks," she said."But what I loved is gone; and, going, it has changed all the rest.This is not Tom - only the least part of him."Her father bowed his head.
"I felt so when your mother died, my dearest child."Then she knelt down and put her hand on the hand of the dead man and prayed.Her father knelt beside her, and it was he, not the young widow, who wept.
She rose presently.
"I can think of him better away from him now," she said."I will not see him again."They returned to her old nursery, and he told her that he was going to face life and take the head of his table at luncheon.
"How brave of you, dear father," she said.Sir Walter waited for the gong to sound, but it did not, and he rebuked himself for thinking that it would sound.Masters had a more correct sense of the fitness of things than he.He thought curiously upon this incident, and suspected that he must be unhinged a little.Then he remembered a thing that he had desired to say to Mary and returned to her.
"I do not wish you to sleep in this room tonight, my darling," he said.
"Jane has begged me not to.I am going to sleep with her," she answered.
