There was a silence in the room.
Collins went to the old servant with a quick movement and took his hand.
“Now listen to me, John. I will tell you exactly what happened. You have been allowing yourself to brood over your old master’s death, and it has got on your nerves. You were probably thinking of him because the house was quiet, and when you came into the dining-room, the sun was shining right on to the portrait of Sir James, and you imagined he was standing on the rug. It is really quite a common thing. It’s what we call hallucination. You must not let it worry you. It’s not a warning or anything like that, and you must not think any more of it.”
He spoke with such conviction that the old man was greatly relieved.
But Collins had gone to the old man for another reason. John was standing with his back to a looking-glass, and Collins could see the room. He saw two things, a look of intense annoyance on the face of Sanders, and an expression on Mabel’s face in which gratitude was mixed with relief.
“Mr. Collins is right,” she said. “That is the explanation. I am sure there is nothing else in it. Now don’t worry any more about it.”
“Thank you, sir, thank you, Miss Mabel, it has relieved me a lot,” and the old man went out.
“Well done, Collins,” said Allery, “you have disposed of the ghost in quick time. I hope the old fellow will forget all about it.”
Collins laughed and helped himself to a cigarette from a silver box, but he watched the other. Allery drew a handkerchief from his pocket, and furtively wiped his forehead.
The company drifted off to various interests. Sanders and Mabel found themselves alone for a moment.
“I think I will go to Town tomorrow, if you don’t mind,” he said.
“Why should you go?” she said.
“Well, I seem to be always putting my foot into it somehow, and I don’t think I am wanted here,” he added petulantly.
She stiffened. “You must please yourself. I hope you don’t find it very boring here?”
“You know I don’t, Mabel, but you seem to have changed towards me. You are always trying to snub me in front of Collins, and you treat me almost as a stranger. Why can’t we announce our engagement, and then we should know where we stand?”
She flushed. “Really, Eric, you sometimes behave like a spoilt child. You know my reasons. It is too soon after my father’s death, especially as he disapproved, and I would like to wait till my brother comes back.”
“But he may be dead, and we may have to wait for years. He has been advertised enough for, and if a man will not come to take up a title and position, there must be something wrong.”
“What do you mean?” she said, angrily.
“Oh, I don’t mean anything dishonourable, but something to prevent him coming. He may be out of touch of civilisation,” he said, lamely.
“Very well,” she said, “then I will go further. I will not become engaged until my brother comes back. I am certain he is not dead.”
“That means, I suppose, you have ceased to care for me?”
“It means nothing of the sort and you know it. If I did not care for you, should I have stuck to you against my father’s wishes?”
“Why don’t you say that you will marry the man who finds your brother?” he said, bitterly.
“Eric, you go too far,” and she threw up her head.
“I go too far! Well, Mabel, since you have said that, I will tell you I think it is you to whom that would apply. You are ‘carrying on’—there is no other phrase for it, vulgar as it is—with that fellow Collins. You are always with him, and I can see by the way he looks at you that he is getting too fond of you. You have only known him for a short time.”
“That’s enough,” she interrupted. “You had better say no more or we shall come to a real quarrel. I think you better go as you have suggested, and you can think things over. I am going to see how my aunt is,” and she went out without another word.
“Curse the fellow,” said Sanders. “What does he mean by foisting himself here, and staying on. He’s trying to cut me out with his damnable polite manners. And she’s everything in the world to me.”
XII
What Happened in the Night
The incident of the day had cast a gloom over the party.
Mabel’s aunt had been in bed all the day, with one of her sick headaches. Collins was down before the others, and had a word with old John. The old servant was devoted to him.
“I hope you got over your scare,” said he.
“Oh, yes, thank you, sir, but it frightened me at the time. But you were probably right. I have been thinking about the master a lot lately.”
“I have often come across cases like that,” said Collins. “Now I suppose you came in quite quietly, without making any noise?”
“Yes, sir, as the family were out I was wearing carpet slippers, as I suffer with my feet a good deal, and the door was only ajar.”
They were standing in the dining-room.
Collins walked to the fireplace.
“And you thought you saw Sir James standing here,” he said, but he took in a breath. With an effort he controlled his voice.
“Don’t let me stop your work,” he said.
“Thank you, sir,” said the other, hurrying to complete his preparations.
Collins stooped quickly.
The impression of two feet was plainly visible on the thick rug. No one had been in the room since the morning, as they had all
