temperate man who did not seem to be romancing, I told him
something of my experiences with _Taduki_, to which he listened with a
kind of rapt but suppressed excitement. When I affected disbelief in the
whole business, he differed from me almost rudely, asking why I rejected
phenomena simply because I was too dense to understand them. I answered
perhaps because such phenomena were inconvenient and upset one's ideas.
To this he replied that all progress involved the upsetting of existent
ideas. Moreover he implored me, if the chance should ever come my way,
to pursue experiments with _Taduki_ fumes and let him know the results.

Here our conversation came to an end for suddenly a band that was
braying near by, struck up "God save the Queen," and we hastily
exchanged cards and parted. I only mention it because, had it not
occurred, I think it probable that I should never have been in a
position to write this history.

The remarks of my acquaintance remained in my mind and influenced it so
much that when the occasion came, I did as a kind of duty what, however
much I was pressed, I am almost sure I should never have done for any
other reason, just because I thought that I ought to take an opportunity
of trying to discover what was the truth of the matter. As it chanced it
was quick in coming.

Here I should explain that I attended the dinner of which I have spoken
not very long after a very lengthy absence from England, whither I had
come to live when King Solomon's Mines had made me rich. Therefore it
happened that between the conclusion of my Kendah adventure some years
before and this time I saw nothing and heard little of Lord and Lady
Ragnall. Once a rumour did reach me, however, I think through Sir Henry
Curtis or Captain Good, that the former had died as a result of an
accident. What the accident was my informant did not know and as I was
just starting on a far journey at the time, I had no opportunity of
making inquiries. My talk with the botanical scientist determined me
to do so; indeed a few days later I discovered from a book of reference
that Lord Ragnall was dead, leaving no heir; also that his wife survived
him.

I was working myself up to write to her when one morning the postman
brought me here at the Grange a letter which had "Ragnall Castle"
printed on the flap of the envelope. I did not know the writing
which was very clear and firm, for as it chanced, to the best of my
recollection, I had never se