when he knows that all is over."

"No, he's not that kind of man, uncle. Mary tells me he will want to get
to the bottom of this in his own way. He's one of the fighting sort,
but he believes in a lot of queer things. I'm going in to Newton with
Colonel Vane, and shall meet Mannering there about--about Sir Howard
Fellowes. He'll come down to-morrow, no doubt, perhaps to-night.
Mannering will know."

"And tell Mannering to insist on a detective called Peter Hardcastle for
the inquiry. If he's left Scotland Yard and acting independently, none
the less engage him. I shall, of course, thankfully pay anything to get
this tragedy explained."

"Be sure they will explain it."

"If they do not I shall be tempted to leave altogether. Indeed, I may do
so in any case. Mary will never reconcile herself to live here now."

"Don't bother about the future, don't think about it. Consider yourself,
and take a little rest this afternoon. Everybody is very concerned for
you, they mean to be awfully decent in their way; but I know how they
try you. They can't help it. Such a thing takes them out of their
daily round, and beggars their experience, and makes them excited and
tactless. There's no precedent for them, and you know how most people
depend on precedent and how they're bowled over before anything new."

"I will go to Mary, I think. Has the undertaker been?"

"Yes, uncle."

"I want him to be buried with us here. I should not suppose his father
will object."

"Not likely. Mary would wish it so."

"It was so typical of Mary to think of Septimus May before everybody.
She put her own feelings from her that she might soften the blow for
him."

"She would."

"Are you equal to telling the clergyman at the station that his son is
dead, or can't you trust yourself to do it?"

"I expect he'll know it well enough, but I'll tell him everything
there is to tell. I remember long ago, after the wedding, that he was
interested in haunted rooms, and said he believed in such things on
Scriptural grounds."

Sir Walter took pause at this statement.

"That is news to me. Supposing he--However, we need not trouble
ourselves with him yet. He will, of course, be as deeply concerned to
get to the bottom of this as I am, though we must not interfere, or make
the inquiry harder for Hardcastle than he is bound to find it."

"Certainly nobody must interfere. I only hope we can get Peter
Hardcastle."

"Tell them to call me when Mr. May arri