part, believing
themselves rarities; the world is content to let them do it, because
theirs is a segregation of stupidity. And Estabrook, though he had fine
qualities, belonged to them.

Nothing could have indicated this more clearly than the emphasis he put
on his fear of scandal, the smug way he spoke of his word of honor, and
the self-conscious blush that came into his handsome face when he
mentioned the name of Estabrook. Why, even the menace to his beautiful
Julianna was not quite sufficient to cause this egotist to forget his
duties toward himself! So if he had not acted with such nobility of
spirit during the remainder of our adventures begun that night, I could
not sit here now and write that I learned to be very fond of him.

At any rate, Estabrook asked me what I knew and I told him all that I
have written--about Virginia, that she seemed to feel the existence of
something the other side of her bedroom wall, about MacMechem's notes on
the case, the game of life and death I was playing, my conversation with
the old servant, and for full measure, I told him where I had learned to
place a blow behind a gentleman's ear. It is necessary to deal with men
as excited as Estabrook without showing the nervousness that one may
feel one's self.

When I had finished, he jumped up from his chair, and, clasping his
hands behind his back, in the manner of lawyers, he walked twice across
the room.

"Why, don't you see?" he cried. "All that you have told me simply adds
mystery to mystery, apprehension to apprehension, fear to fear. And it
strikes me that, though my own experience has been bizarre enough, your
observations and that of this other doctor who is dead are even more
fantastic. What do you hope to accomplish by telling me this gruesome,
unnatural state of affairs?"

"I hope to make you act," I said, putting a chair in his path. "We are
sensible men. There are, no doubt, explanations for all occurrences.
Our limited mental equipment may not find them at once. But the first
thing to recognize is the one important fact; neither of us doubts that
your wife is in some grave danger. Personally I believe that if you are
not mentally deranged, she is! In any case, it's your duty to go to your
house. Force an entrance if necessary. It cannot be done too soon!"

Estabrook clenched his hands as he heard me, but after a moment he began
to shake his head doggedly.

"Can't you see that it would mean publicity?" he asked.