The Grey Room

d little for himself, and still less concerning the police, for he was human, and their indifference to his advice annoyed him; but for Sir Walter he was perturbed, and did not like the arrangemen

rs, to find Mary and her father sitting quietly together in the great library. They were both reading, while at the farther end, where a risen moon already frosted

s solicitous

xt. You have been on your feet for countless hours and much lies before you to-mo

rd knows how soon I may be wanted by t

out of my hands. I began to feel this when poor Hardcastle arrived; but that composure was sadly shattered. I am even prepared for the needf

n the huge majority of cases, it falls back upon supernatural explanations for mystery. This fact has made fortunes for not a few who profit by the credulity of human nature. Faiths are founded on it. May carried too many guns for you. He honestly convinced you that his theory of his son's death was the correct theory; and I, for one, though I deplore the fact that you came to see with hi

ations. Events had drawn him into a receptive attitu

d flow, Mannering. Here are you with your scepticism apparently weakening, while I feel thankfull

ked the p

uffered death by any conscious, supernatural means if our faith is true; but, as he himself said, when he came here after the death of his boy, he did not pretend that faith in God rendered a human being superior to the laws of matter. If, as was suggested at dinner

upants of this house-every one of them, Sir Walter. Mary knows them, Henry knows them. I have attende

one i

ow shell shock and wounds to a poor man's head had often left

s appears. I have seen cases. But of all the men in Chadlands there are only three examples of any such catastrophe. I know a few in the village-none whe

ane as I am-perhaps san

you must expect them to make a searching examination of everybody in the house. And they may find a good number of nervous and hysterical women, if not men. It is n

h fewer secrets than mi

may bring lig

s to-night, and we may all have to go to London to attend it. After they have turned Chadlands and eve

ission to do so. It must be apparent to everybody that I am, of all men, if not the

e same. Nothing can be gained by the dead, and necessary energy is lost to the living by this irrational vigil. It is far past midn

elder

and distress apparent, and naturally so. I will stay here with this good man. He is be

ed the hall and pursued his own reflections. Where his thoughts bent, there his body unconsciously turned, and, forgetting the injunction of the silent men aloft-indeed, forgetting them also for a moment-Mannering ascended the stairs and proceeded along the corridor toward the Grey Room. But he did not get far. Out of the darkness a figure rose and stopped him. The man turned an electric torch on Dr. Mannering, and recognized him. It appeared that while one detective kept guard outside, the others watched within. At the sound of voices the door of the Grey Room opened, an

n, and he perceived that his approach to the Grey Room, after it was clearly understood that none should on any account attempt to do so, must attract unpleasant attention to himself. And he could offer no better excuse t

f Chadlands was still reading, and in a frame of mind very quiet and peaceful. He

a terrible cost of nervous power. It is more than time that she

get to the bottom of it soon, if not to-night

ks from the Riviera and longs for Fl

be cold

on't hu

shut up C

without an explanation, I shall seal the Grey Room-windows, door, and hearth-unless the authorities direct oth

a weight would bring down the ceiling beneath. But you c

f patient. The iron has entered my soul. The horror of publicity-the morbid agony I experienced when I knew my name must be dragged through every newspaper in England-these pangs are past. My life seems to have ended in one sense, and, looking back, I cannot fail to see how little I grasped the realities of existence, how I took my easy days as a matter of course and never i

early, too. But, for my part, clear seeing only increases my anxiety to-night. I don't personally care a button for the welfare of those men, since they declined to take my advice; but I am human, and as I suffer with a sick patient and rejoice when he recovers, so I cannot help suffering at the thought of the risk these four are running. They sit there, I suppose, or else walk ab

g force may be in the contro

bounds of possib

the rest of us. Let me, in my turn, urge you to go to your rest. These things have told up

drink," said Mannering, "and

g-room. I directed Masters to leave ample th

something-a whisk

I need

leep, but resisted it, lighted his pipe again, and, resumed his march in the hall. He listened presently

past three o'clock on a still, winter night-a lull and interval between yesterday's storm and rough weather yet to come.

e, the watcher listened at the foot of the staircase, and heard the mumble of men's voices and the sound of feet. The

ed through another hour. For a few minutes he lost consciousness, started up to blam

to Sir Walter. The old man had wakened, and was sitting in quiet ref

of poor May seemed near me, and I felt, too, as though his s

oo near them. Night fades over the wood

ill permit me to do so. Oblige me by staying here a few minutes until I call

't let Mary be called if she is sleeping,

slept of

ed to the corridor. Already li

of the staircase a

?" he asked loudly; but

ll?" he cr

merged Inspector Frith. H

itched on an

trust, has

No sign or sound of anything ou

n-thank Heav

ttern, supposed to defy any gaseous combination ever turned out of a laboratory. It is well known that new, destructive gases were discovered just before the end of the war-gases said to be infinitely more speedy and deadly than any that were emplo

her men also. They had left the Grey Room and taken off their mask

thankful that no evil has overtaken you. What

t to his own apartments, rang, and gave the needful directions. He joined Mary soon afterwards, and

He had already learned from Fred Caunter tha

, as his son before him, had died by the Hand of God. Later in the day the dead man was conveyed

May died. Into the sailor's private life they also searched, and so gradually investigated every possible line of action and point of approach to his death. The cause of this they were content to disregard, arguing that if an assassin could be traced, his means of murder wou

cause, despite the number of persons it was necessary to study and consider, in none of their relations with the family involved could there be found a shadow of unfriendly intercourse, a harbored grudge, or a suggestion of ill-feeling. The people were all simple and ingenuous. They declared and displayed nothing but regard for their employer, and many of them had succeeded their own parents in their present employment

In the familiar phrase, they left no stone unturned; and following their report, which frankly admitted absolute fail

ith sympathy and consideration. But they could offer no opinions, throw n

hen, to his relief, Sir Walter could open his morning journal and find no mention of Chadlands therein. Architects examined the room a second time, and the authorities also gave permission to certain notable sp

England, but directed to set a seal on the Grey Room, and to treat

ing pair made all haste to get away. Its owner undertook to treat the Grey Room as directed on

pride in their passing publicity, and none expressed any fear of remaining. But Sir Walter