The Riddle of the Frozen Flame

cast back at him. For he looked for all the world as though he had been up all night an

vil take my shaky hand! And that railroad business yesterday helps it along. A nice state of affairs for a chap of my age, I must say! Scared as a kid at an old wives' s

ugh the stables-which in their day had been famous-the big, harsh-throated doorbell rang, and Merriton, in the very act of telling Borkins that he wa

for the appearance of one was nevertheless not unpleased to see the other. For the names that Bo

ed wreck! His lady of the da

hand rather longer than was necessary, and was looking down into the rouguish greeny-gray eyes that had captivated him only

ng to where a strip of pink court plaster upon her forehead showed faintly through the screen of hair that covered it. Then he dropped her hand

f you, sir, to come across in this ne

y uncle. I brought him right over

he foreign air that his name carried out so well. His morning suit was extremely well cut, and his whole bearing that of the well-to-do man a

han ever, and clad this afternoon in all the fluffy femininity that every man loves. An

feeling all hands and feet. "Never saw such a lonely spot in all

to and fro over the world, m'sieur, one can but appreciate the peaceful backwaters which are so often to be found in this very dear, very delightful England o

reigner, which Merriton found fascinating. He had already succumbed to something o

pinion of the Towers, Miss Brellier?" he asked suddenly, lea

ged her s

een in it but a matter of five minutes or more. But everything to me i

them, clinking and clanking all over the place. And if you could see my room! I sleep in a four-poster as big as a suburban villa, and every now and again the furniture gives a comfy little crack or two, like someone practising with a pistol, just to remi

turn that Sir Nigel found more than plea

, suddenly exploded the bomb which shattered t

ith all the usual trimmin's. Said they were supernatural and all that. Ever seen 'em yourself? I must say they gave me a bit of a turn. I'm not keen on spirits-except in bottle form (which by the way is a rotten bad pun, Miss Brellier,) but in India one

s holding and her face went white. Brellier shifted his eyes.

float about them are rather-unpleasant, and like a wise man I have kept myself free of investigation. I do hope you'll do the same, Sir Nigel. One never knows, and although one cannot always believe the silly things which the villagers prattle about

ho had disappeared in a mysterious manner and

is shoulders. He sp

like three and a half years-there have been several mysterious disappearances, Sir Nigel, and all directly traceable to a f

ace anxiously. There was a wor

perfectly still during the discussion of the mystery, gav

I am terrified of those little flames, Sir Nigel, more terrified than I can say! If you speak of them any more, I must go-really! Please, p

A number of otherwise rational human beings scared out of their wits over some mysterious flames on the edge of the Fens at night time, seemed, in the face of this glorious summer's afternoon, to be little short of ridiculous. He tried to throw the ide

that you are booked to me for a ri

gave his hand a litt

one or two, "you will promise me that you will not try and find out what those-

him almost upon their knees to forego a perfectly harmless little quest of discovery. There seemed to his mind something almost fishy about