"I shan't welsh," I said.

"I'm sure you won't, Mr Easterbrook. Now for the - er - arrangements. Mrs Easterbrook, you say, is in London. Where, arrangements. Mrs Easterbrook, you say, is in London. Where, exactly?" exactly?"

"Do you have to know?"

"I have to have full details - the next thing to do is to arrange an appointment for you with Miss Grey - you remember Miss Grey?" appointment for you with Miss Grey - you remember Miss Grey?"

I said of course I remembered Miss Grey.

"An amazing woman. Really an amazing woman. Most gifted. She'll want something your wife has worn - a glove - handkerchief - want something your wife has worn - a glove - handkerchief - anything like that -" anything like that -"

"But why? In the name of -"

"I know, I know. Don't ask me why. I've not the least idea. Miss Grey keeps her secrets to herself." keeps her secrets to herself."

"But what happens? What does she do?"

"You really must believe me, Mr Easterbrook, when I tell you that honestly I haven't the least idea! I don't know - and what is more, I honestly I haven't the least idea! I don't know - and what is more, I don't want to know - let's leave it at that." don't want to know - let's leave it at that."

He paused, and then went on in an almost fatherly tone.

"My advice is as follows, Mr Easterbrook. Pay a visit to your wife. Soothe her down, let her think that you're coming round to the idea Soothe her down, let her think that you're coming round to the idea of a reconciliation. I should suggest saying that you have to go of a reconciliation. I should suggest saying that you have to go abroad for a few weeks, but that on your return et cetera et abroad for a few weeks, but that on your return et cetera et cetera..." cetera..."

"And then?"

"Having purloined a trifle of daily wear in an unobtrusive manner, you will go down to Much Deeping." He paused thoughtfully. "Let you will go down to Much Deeping." He paused thoughtfully. "Let me see, I think you mentioned on your previous visit that you had me see, I think you mentioned on your previous visit that you had friends - relations - in the neighbourhood?" friends - relations - in the neighbourhood?"

"A cousin."

"That makes it very simple. This cousin will doubtless put you up for a day or so." a day or so."

"What do most people do? Stay at the local inn?"

"Sometimes, I believe - or they motor over from Bournemouth. Something of that kind - but I know very little about the matter." Something of that kind - but I know very little about the matter."

"What - er - is my cousin likely to think?"

"You express yourself as intrigued by the inhabitants of the Pale Horse. You want to participate in a s Horse. You want to participate in a sance there. Nothing can sound simpler. Miss Grey and her medium friend often indulge in sound simpler. Miss Grey and her medium friend often indulge in s sances. You know what spiritualists are. You go protesting that of course it's nonsense, but that it will interest you. That is all, Mr course it's nonsense, but that it will interest you. That is all, Mr Easterbrook. As you see, nothing can be simpler." Easterbrook. As you see, nothing can be simpler."

"And - and, after that?"

He shook his head smiling.

"That's all I can tell you. All, in fact, that I know. Miss Thyrza Grey will then be in charge. Don't forget to take the glove, or will then be in charge. Don't forget to take the glove, or handkerchief, or whatever it is with you. Afterwards, I would handkerchief, or whatever it is with you. Afterwards, I would suggest that you take a little trip abroad. The Italian Riviera is very suggest that you take a little trip abroad. The Italian Riviera is very pleasant at this time of year. Just for a week or two, say." pleasant at this time of year. Just for a week or two, say."

I said that I didn't want to go abroad. I said I wanted to stay in England. England.

"Very well, then, but definitely not London. No, I must strongly advise, not London." advise, not London."

"Why not?"

Mr Bradley looked at me reprovingly.

"Clients are guaranteed complete - er - safety," he said, "if they obey orders." obey orders."

"What about Bournemouth? Would Bournemouth do?"

"Yes, Bournemouth would be adequate. Stay at a hotel, make a few acquaintances, be seen in their company. The blameless life - that acquaintances, be seen in their company. The blameless life - that is what we aim at. You can always go on to Torquay if you get tired is what we aim at. You can always go on to Torquay if you get tired of Bournemouth." of Bournemouth."

He spoke with the affability of a travel agent. Once again I had to shake his podgy hand. shake his podgy hand.

Chapter 17.

"Are you really going to a sance at Thyrza's?" Rhoda demanded.

"Why not?"

"I never knew you were interested in that sort of thing, Mark."

"I'm not really," I said truthfully. "But it's such a queer setup, those three. I'm curious to see what sort of a show they put on." three. I'm curious to see what sort of a show they put on."

I did not find it really easy to put on a light manner. Out of the tail of my eye, I saw Hugh Despard looking at me thoughtfully. He was a my eye, I saw Hugh Despard looking at me thoughtfully. He was a shrewd man, with an adventurous life behind him. One of those men shrewd man, with an adventurous life behind him. One of those men who have a kind of sixth sense where danger is concerned. I think who have a kind of sixth sense where danger is concerned. I think he scented its presence now - realized that something more he scented its presence now - realized that something more important than idle curiosity was at stake. important than idle curiosity was at stake.

"Then I shall come with you," said Rhoda gleefully. "I've always wanted to." wanted to."

"You'll do nothing of the sort, Rhoda," growled Despard.

"But I don't really believe in spirits and all that, Hugh. You know I don't. I just want to go for the fun of it!" don't. I just want to go for the fun of it!"

"That sort of business isn't fun," said Despard. "There may be something genuine to it, there probably is. But it doesn't have a something genuine to it, there probably is. But it doesn't have a good effect on people who go out of 'idle curiosity.'" good effect on people who go out of 'idle curiosity.'"

"Then you ought to dissuade Mark, too."

"Mark's not my responsibility," said Despard.

But again he gave me that quick sidelong look. He knew, I was quite sure, that I had a purpose. sure, that I had a purpose.

Rhoda was annoyed, but she got over it, and when we chanced to meet Thyrza Grey in the village a little later that morning, Thyrza meet Thyrza Grey in the village a little later that morning, Thyrza herself was blunt upon the matter. herself was blunt upon the matter.

"Hallo, Mr Easterbrook, we're expecting you this evening. Hope we can put on a good show for you. Sybil's a wonderful medium, but can put on a good show for you. Sybil's a wonderful medium, but one never knows beforehand what results one will get. So you one never knows beforehand what results one will get. So you mustn't be disappointed. One thing I do ask you. Keep an open mustn't be disappointed. One thing I do ask you. Keep an open mind. An honest inquirer is always welcome - but a frivolous, mind. An honest inquirer is always welcome - but a frivolous, scoffing approach is bad." scoffing approach is bad."

"I wanted to come, too," said Rhoda. "But Hugh is so frightfully prejudiced. You know what he's like." prejudiced. You know what he's like."

"I wouldn't have had you, anyway," said Thyrza. "One outsider is quite enough." quite enough."

She turned to me.

"Suppose you come and have a light meal with us first," she said.

"We never eat much before a sance. About seven o'clock? Good, we'll be expecting you." we'll be expecting you."

She nodded, smiled, and strode briskly away. I stared after her, so engrossed in my surmises, that I entirely missed what Rhoda was engrossed in my surmises, that I entirely missed what Rhoda was saying to me. saying to me.

"What did you say? I'm sorry."

"You've been very odd lately, Mark. Ever since you arrived. Is anything the matter?" anything the matter?"

"No, of course not. What should be the matter?"

"Have you got stuck with the book? Something like that?"

"The book?" Just for a moment I couldn't remember anything about the book. Then I said hastily, "Oh yes, the book. It's getting on more the book. Then I said hastily, "Oh yes, the book. It's getting on more or less all right." or less all right."

"I believe you're in love," said Rhoda accusingly. "Yes, that's it. Being in love has a very bad effect on men - it seems to addle their Being in love has a very bad effect on men - it seems to addle their wits. Now women are just the opposite - on top of the world, looking wits. Now women are just the opposite - on top of the world, looking radiant and twice as good-looking as usual. Funny, isn't it, that it radiant and twice as good-looking as usual. Funny, isn't it, that it should suit women, and only make a man look like a sick sheep?" should suit women, and only make a man look like a sick sheep?"

"Thank you!" I said.

"Oh, don't be cross with me, Mark. I think it's a very good thing really, and I'm delighted. She's really very nice." really, and I'm delighted. She's really very nice."

"Who's nice?"

"Hermia Redcliffe, of course. You seem to think I know nothing about anything. I've seen it coming on for ages. And she really is about anything. I've seen it coming on for ages. And she really is just the person for you - good-looking and clever; absolutely just the person for you - good-looking and clever; absolutely suitable." suitable."

"That," I said, "is one of the cattiest things you could say about anyone." anyone."

Rhoda looked at me.

"It is, rather," she said.

She turned away and said she had to go and give a pep talk to the butcher. I said that I would go and pay a call at the vicarage. butcher. I said that I would go and pay a call at the vicarage.

"But not -" I forestalled any comment - "in order to ask the vicar to put the banns up!" put the banns up!"

II.

Coming to the vicarage was like coming home.

The front door was hospitably open, and as I stepped inside I was conscious of a burden slipping from my shoulders. conscious of a burden slipping from my shoulders.

Mrs Dane Calthrop came through a door at the back of the hall, carrying for some reason unfathomable to me an enormous plastic carrying for some reason unfathomable to me an enormous plastic pail of bright green. pail of bright green.

"Hallo, it's you," she said. "I thought it would be."

She handed me the pail. I had no idea what to do with it and stood looking awkward. looking awkward.

"Outside the door, on the step," said Mrs Dane Calthrop impatiently as though I ought to have known. as though I ought to have known.

I obeyed. Then I followed her into the same dark shabby room we had sat in before. There was a rather moribund fire there, but Mrs had sat in before. There was a rather moribund fire there, but Mrs Dane Calthrop poked it into flame and dumped a log on it. Then she Dane Calthrop poked it into flame and dumped a log on it. Then she motioned me to sit down, plumped down herself, and fixed me with motioned me to sit down, plumped down herself, and fixed me with a bright impatient eye. a bright impatient eye.

"Well?" she demanded. "What have you done?"

From the vigour of her manner we might have had a train to catch.

"You told me to do something. I am doing something."

"Good. What?"

I told her. I told her everything. In some unspoken way I told her things I did not quite know myself. things I did not quite know myself.

"Tonight?" said Mrs Dane Calthrop thoughtfully.

"Yes."

She was silent for a minute, obviously thinking. Unable to help myself I blurted out, "I don't like it. My God, I don't like it!" myself I blurted out, "I don't like it. My God, I don't like it!"

"Why should you?"

That, of course, was unanswerable.

"I'm so horribly afraid for her."

She looked at me kindly.

"You don't know," I said, "how - how brave she is. If, in some way, they manage to harm her..." they manage to harm her..."

Mrs Dane Calthrop said slowly: "I don't see - I really don't see - how they can harm her in the way you mean." you mean."

"But they have harmed - other people."

"It would seem so, yes..." She sounded dissatisfied.

"In any other way, she will be all right. We've taken every imaginable precaution. No material harm can happen to her." imaginable precaution. No material harm can happen to her."

"But it's material harm that these people claim to be able to produce," Mrs Dane Calthrop pointed out "They claim to be able to produce," Mrs Dane Calthrop pointed out "They claim to be able to work through the mind on the body. Illness - disease. Very work through the mind on the body. Illness - disease. Very interesting if they can. But quite horrible! And it's got to be stopped, interesting if they can. But quite horrible! And it's got to be stopped, as we've already agreed." as we've already agreed."

"But she's the one who's taking the risk," I muttered.

"Someone has to," said Mrs Dane Calthrop calmly. "It upsets your pride, that it shouldn't be you. You've got to swallow that. Ginger's pride, that it shouldn't be you. You've got to swallow that. Ginger's ideally suited for the part she's playing. She can control her nerves ideally suited for the part she's playing. She can control her nerves and she's intelligent. She won't let you down," and she's intelligent. She won't let you down,"

"I'm not worrying about that!"

"Well, stop worrying at all. It won't do her any good. Don't let's shirk the issues. If she dies as a result of this experiment, then she dies in the issues. If she dies as a result of this experiment, then she dies in a good cause." a good cause."