very tired this morning. I went
round to call on him. He was in bed at half-past ten when I left him.
Then I came straight down here."

For a moment she thought the old man mad. The relief was so intense
that she flushed scarlet, and stopped dead in the middle of the road.

"You came down here," she repeated. "Why, I thought--"

He looked at her gravely, in spite of the incessant twinkle in his
eyes. She perceived that this old man's eyes would twinkle at a
death-bed. He stroked his grey beard smoothly down.

"Yes; you thought that he was dead, perhaps? Oh, no. But for all that,
Miss Deronnais, it is just as serious as it can be."

She did not know what to think. Was the man a madman himself?

"Listen, please. I am telling you simply the facts. I was anxious, and
I went round this morning first to Lady Laura Bethell. To my
astonishment she saw me. I will not tell you all that she said, just
now. She was in a terrible state, though she did not know one-tenth
of the harm--Well, after what she told me I went round straight to
Mitre Court. The porter was inclined not to let me in. Well, I went
in, and straight into Mr. Baxter's bedroom; and I found there--"

He stopped.

"Yes?"

"I found exactly what I had feared, and expected."

"Oh! tell me quickly," she cried, wheeling on him in anger.

He looked at her as if critically for a moment. Then he went on
abruptly.

"I found Mr. Baxter in bed. I made no apology at all. I said simply
that I had come to see how he was after the _seance_."

"It took place, then--"

"Oh! yes.... I forgot to mention that Lady Laura would pay no
attention to me yesterday.... Yes, it took place.... Well, Mr. Baxter
did not seem surprised to see me. He told me he felt tired. He said
that the _seance_ had been a success. And while he talked I watched
him. Then I came away and caught the ten-fifty."

"I don't understand in the least," said Maggie.

"So I suppose," said the other dryly. "I imagine you do not believe in
spiritualism at all--I mean that you think that the whole thing is
fraud or hysteria?"

"Yes, I do," said Maggie bravely.

He nodded once or twice.

"So do most sensible people. Well, Miss Deronnais, I have come to warn
you. I did not write, because it was impossible to know what to say
until I had seen you and heard your answer to that question. At the
same time, I wanted to lose no time. Anything may happen now at any
moment.... I wanted to tell you this: that I