rank. Take all the circumstances together and they
seem to point--"

He paused as though quite unable to finish. Ashton-Kirk laid a hand
upon his shoulder.

"Imagination is a thing that is vitally necessary in this sort of
work," said he. "But it must be held in check by reason. The great
trouble with an amateur is that he reasons up to a certain point; then
he allows his imagination to take a long leap toward a result. The
upshot is that his results have seldom anything to support them. The
correct method, I think, is to allow the imagination to scurry ahead
in the way that is natural to it; but reason must follow close behind,
proving each step of the way. To be sure, you may have theories,
hypotheses, ideas without end, but you must never take them for
granted. Select each in its turn, place it in a tube as the chemist
does, add a few drops of reason, and you may produce a fact. It is the
only way to go about it. Once a man becomes fixed in a belief, be
there ever so little foundation for it, his mind stops revolving the
subject; further procedure is hopeless."

"I understand all that well enough," said Pendleton. "But," and he
waved his hand toward the house, "what does _this_ mean?"

"I don't know," said Ashton-Kirk. "And neither do you. So--that being
the case--there is but one thing to do--find out."

They gazed toward the window once more, Miss Vale had apparently
mastered the contents of the paper, and was now engaged in writing
rapidly. As the young men watched, she stopped, read carefully what
she had written, and then handed it to Locke. The mute carried the
paper to the light, and holding it very near to his eyes read it with
much attention; then he tore it into strips, placed it upon the red
coals of a stove which stood near him and watched it burn. Facing Miss
Vale, his fingers began to fly rapidly in intricate signs. This only
lasted a moment, however; for he stopped, gestured passionately,
seized a pad of paper and began to write.

While he was thus engaged, Ashton-Kirk said to Pendleton in a low
tone:

"Remain here for a moment."

Then slowly, carefully, the investigator made his way toward the
window through which Miss Vale and Locke were to be seen.

Heavy beams of light shot across the ground from the windows; but here
and there were trails of shadow. He clung to these until he had
reached the shelter of the walls; then to Pendleton's amazement he
stepped directly in front of the window