a motor out here. We walk
through the hall, and the first person we meet here--Mrs. Leeth. New
housekeeper. It seems the old one died of heart failure overnight.
Dr. Jarvyse finds this one, by great good luck just out of a job.
Highly recommended by Mr. Absolom Vail. Never occupied just this post,
apparently, but Jarvyse feels perfectly certain she's just the woman
for it. I don't know how he knew it, but she certainly is. Best woman
we ever had."

"How perfectly extraordinary! Was Mr. Vail surprised?"

"Not at all. He just smiled politely, and neither of 'em has ever
discussed it."

"What did the Countess have to say?"

"Oh, she was furious, till I pointed out that we couldn't have the
woman in a safer place, because every employee signs a bond on
entering, never to receive by bequest or otherwise a penny from any
patient. We all sign."

"What does the Italian Count think of it all?"

"Hannibal? He's all right, Hannibal. He and I and Barkington had a
little session in this very room about a fortnight ago. I was saying
something about the question of Mr. Vail's insanity.

"'Question?' says Barkington. 'Question? Why there is no question!
As a man of science, Count Hannibal, you know as well as I do----'

"'But I am not a man of science, my dear fellow--I'm a Roman,' says
Hannibal, grinning away (those Italians speak wonderful English, you
know). 'Very odd things happen in Rome, now and then, my good
Barkington!'"

I looked at him steadily. He sat surrounded by his mysterious electric
machines under shining glass domes, among costly leather-bound volumes
whose very titles questioned the foundation of reason; telephones and
telegrams ready to hand upon his orderly desk. And it seemed to me
that he smiled mockingly at me behind his baffling eye-glasses.

"I don't understand you, Will," I said slowly, "you seem to be leading
me to ... do you mean me to understand that you believe that Mrs.
Vail's--spirit--entered--came back ... do you mean you think Mr. Vail
is right, all the time?"

"Not at all," he returned promptly. "I acknowledge no such conditions.
I know nothing of spirits nor what they do. I do not know that there
are any. I study the human brain: when it ceases to respond to nervous
stimuli, I cease to study it, that's all."

"Then why do you--why do you look at me..."

He struck his fist on the table.

"I look at you," he cried, "because you amaze me so, you people who
assume