The Lair of the White Worm

han in youth. When they were both in the study, where Sir Nathaniel followed him, Adam at once began to tell his companion of what had happened. S

on yet; but it seems to me at first impression t

ling of a mongoose-no matter by wh

ietly for quite another fe

ime it seems to me that there is something dreadful behind all this-something tha

at up

if, of course, you have no objection, o

, I should have to overcome it. I fear there

sounds serious, w

and me, at all events-to speak out plainly to one another.

The only difficulty one has is what

he mongoose. He was quiet, even friendly and affectionate with you. H

t is

nd some reason why he a

to attack, that nature does not allow or provide him with th

uries, this particular animal is known to attack only one kind of other animal, are we not justified in assuming that when one of t

a dangerous one. If we followed it out, it would

t there is no point as yet unconsidered which woul

what

smell. If there were anything in recent juxtaposition to the attacked w

Adam spoke wi

of Diana's Grove, carrying the dead snakes which the mongoose had kill

thousands of years. Then, does a scent of any kind carry with it any form or quality of another kind, either good or evil? I ask you because one ancient name of the house lived in by the lady who was attacked by the mongoose was 'The Lair o

niel smil

anies a physical one, I can only say that I have met no proof of the fact. At the same time, we must remember that 'good' and 'evil' are terms so wide as to take in the whole scheme of creation, and all that is implied by them

aining to the past, what we may call 'survivals,' do these belong to good as well as to evil? For instance, if the scent of

ught for a while

of the moral, we have certain justification for belief in the utterances of revealed religion. For instance, 'the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much' is altoge

ged to another pha

inutes to purely practical things, or

el bowed ac

ound us-'Castra Regis,' 'Diana's Grove,' and 'The Lair of the White Worm.' I would lik

ed Sir Natha

nce, this house

r dove, the dove became a sort of signification of the nunnery. She seized on the idea and made the newly-founded nunnery a house of doves. Someone sent her a freshly-discovered dove, a sort of carrier, but which had in the white feathers of its head and neck the form of a religious cowl. The nunnery flourished for more than a century, when, in the time of Penda, who was the reactionary of heathendom, it fell into decay. In the meantime the doves, protected by religious feeling, had increased mightily, and were known in all Catholic communit

m earnestly, and was silen

a walk with him. The keen-witted old diplomatist guessed that ther

re free from obser

morning, and on the edge of the small wood, I came upon the body of a child by the roadside. At first, I tho

perhaps?" put

and followed, but I could not find any further traces. So I returned to the child and resumed my examination, and, to my delight, I discovered that she was still alive. I chafed her hands and g

e throat! Then it can

be overheard. You have noticed, of course, the peculiar sinuous way in which Lady Arabella moves-

y, be careful

sation, but I feel convinced that the marks on th

ined silent for some

plain-the family seat is near my own place, Doom Tower, and at one time I knew the family well. When still a young girl, Lady Arabella wandered into a small wood near her home, and did not return. She was found unconscious and in a high fever-the doctor said that she had received a poisonous bite, and the girl being at a delicate and critical age, the result was serious-so much so that she was not expected to recover. A great London physician came down but could do nothing-indeed, he said that the girl would not survive the night. All hope had been abandoned, when, to everyone's surprise, Lady Arabella made a sudden and startling recovery. Within a couple of days she was going about as usual! But to the horror of her people, she developed a terrible craving for cruelty, maiming and injuring birds and small animals-even killing them. This was put down to a nervous disturbance due to her age, and it was hoped that her marriage to Captain

nod

sir-it seems a most

to take action-all we can do is to keep careful watch, especially as regards Lady

the two men retur