estibule, "Kathrien
expects you back for supper. Don't forget, will you, dear? Good-night,
Colonel Lawton."

She followed them, closed the front door behind them, and bustled off to
look after the arrangements for supper.

Frederik yawned, lighted a cigarette, and sauntered out into the office,
Peter Grimm watching him with infinitely sad reproach in his luminous
eyes.

Then, left alone in the room he had loved, the Dead Man looked about him
at the dear old bits of furniture and ornaments that had meant so much
to him and whose fate he had just heard weighed between auctioneer's
hammer and rubbish heap.

He moved across to the rack, as if by lifelong instinct, and hung his
antique hat on its accustomed peg. The simple, everyday action brought
him so vividly close to older days that, as Marta pottered in with
another newly filled lamp, he accosted her.

"Marta!" he called, as she gave no sign of recognition to his kindly nod
and smile.

She set down the lamp in its place on the piano, crossed to the
pulley-weight clock, and noisily wound it. As the old woman started back
toward her kitchen, the Dead Man put himself once more in her way.

"Marta!" said he, then more loudly and peremptorily, "_Marta!_"

She passed within an inch of his outstretched hand and entered the
kitchen, shutting the door behind her. Peter Grimm stared blankly after
his housekeeper.

"I seem to be a stranger in my own house," he murmured. "My friends pass
me by. Their gross eyes cannot see me. Their gross ears will not hear
me. But--Lad knew me. He came to meet me, wagging his tail just as he
used to. I--I remember I've more than once noticed his going to meet
other people like that. People _I_ couldn't see in those days."

Frederik lounged back from the office, cigarette in mouth. He took out
his watch, compared it with the clock on the wall, slipped it back into
his pocket, and was crossing to the outer door when the telephone bell
on the desk jangled.

Frederik laid down his cigarette, seated himself at the desk, and picked
up the receiver.

"Hello!" he called.

At the reply, he glanced around hastily, to make sure he was not likely
to be overheard. Then, sinking his voice almost to a whisper and
speaking with a nervous, almost guilty eagerness, he answered:

"Yes. Yes. This is Mr. Grimm. Mr. Frederik Grimm. I've been waiting all
day to hear from you, Mr. Hicks. How are you? Wait one moment, please."

He rose, crossed the room