, if you come to that? Perhaps too suggestive
of heart-breaking military men. Minors is safer in a respectable seaside
place."

The professor had been up all night, but looked much as usual, and was
eating a hearty breakfast of bacon and eggs in the cheerful coffee-room
when Malling arrived. He scarcely ever ate at orthodox hours, and had
frequently been caught lunching at restaurants in London between four and
five in the afternoon.

"Where's the rector? At church?" was his greeting.

"The rector has gone back to London," replied Malling, sitting down by
the table.

"What about my cup of tea, then?" snapped Stepton.

"I will be your host. I'm here till to-morrow. Any interesting
manifestations?"

"A rat or two and a hysterical kitchen-maid seem to be the responsible
agents in the building up of the reputation of the house I kept awake
in last night."

"I believe I have a more interesting problem for you."

The professor stretched out a sinewy hand.

"Cambridge marmalade! Most encouraging!" he muttered. "Have the reverend
gentlemen of St. Joseph's been at it again--successfully?"

"I want you to judge."

And thereupon Malling laid the case faithfully before the professor,
describing not only the dinner in Hornton Street and his interview with
Lady Sophia, but also the two sermons he had heard at St. Joseph's, and
the rector's lamentable outburst of the previous night. This last, having
a remarkably retentive memory, he reproduced in the main in Mr. Harding's
own words, omitting only the rector's reference to his moral lapses.
During the whole time he was speaking Stepton was closely engaged with
the Cambridge marmalade, and showed no symptoms of attention to anything
else. When he ceased, Stepton remarked:

"Really, clergymen are far more to be depended upon for valuable
manifestations than a rat or two and a hysterical kitchen-maid. Come
to my room, Malling."

The professor had a bedroom facing the sea. He led Malling to it, shut
the door, gave Malling a cane chair, sat down himself, in a peculiar,
crab-like posture, upon the bed, and said:

"Now give me as minute a psychological study of the former and actual
Henry Chichester as you can."

Malling complied with this request as lucidly and tersely as he could,
wasting no words.

"Any unusual change in his outward man since you knew him two years ago?"
asked the professor, when he had finished.

Malling mentioned the question as to the curate's ey