Well," muttered Roland, "it's over for to-night. Perhaps I shall be
more fortunate the next time."

Twenty minutes later he re-entered the Chateau des Noires-Fontaines.

CHAPTER XVII. INVESTIGATIONS

Two persons were waiting for Roland's return; one in anguish, the other
with impatience. These two persons were Amelie and Sir John. Neither of
them had slept for an instant. Amelie displayed her anguish only by
the sound of her door, which was furtively closed as Roland came up the
staircase. Roland heard the sound. He had not the courage to pass before
her door without reassuring her.

"Be easy, Amelie, I am here," he said. It did not occur to him that his
sister might be anxious for any one but him.

Amelie darted from her room in her night-dress. It was easy to see from
her pallor and the dark circles which spread nearly to the middle of her
cheeks that she had not closed her eyes all night.

"Has nothing happened to you, Roland?" she cried, clasping her brother
in her arms and feeling him over anxiously.

"Nothing."

"Nor to any one else?"

"No."

"And you saw nothing?"

"I didn't say that," answered Roland.

"Good God! What did you see?"

"I'll tell that to you later. Meantime, there is no one either killed or
wounded."

"Ah! I breathe again!"

"Now, let me give you a bit of advice, little sister. Go to bed and
sleep, if you can, till breakfast. I am going to do the same thing,
and can assure you I won't need any rocking. Good-night, or rather
good-morning."

Roland kissed his sister tenderly. Then affecting to whistle a
hunting-air carelessly, he ran up the next flight of steps. Sir John was
frankly waiting for him in the hall. He went straight to the young man.

"Well?" he asked.

"Well, I didn't roll my stone entirely for nothing."

"Did you see any ghosts?"

"At any rate I saw something that resembled one very closely."

"Come, tell me all about it."

"I see you won't be able to sleep, or at best only fitfully, if I don't.
Here's what happened, in a nutshell."

And Roland gave him a minute account of the night's adventure.

"Excellent," said Sir John, when Roland had finished. "I hope you have
left something for me to do."

"I am even afraid," answered Roland, "that I have left you the hardest
part."

Then, as Sir John went over each detail, asking many questions about the
localities, he said:

"Listen, Sir John. We will pay the Chartreuse a visit in broad daylight
after