g there. Until now Mannering could not well
speak, but he invited himself to dinner on the day after the funeral
that he might press a course of action upon those who had suffered so
severely. He wished Sir Walter to take his daughter away at once, for
her health's sake, and while advancing this advice considered the elder
also, for these things had upset the master of Chadlands in mind and
body, and Mannering was aware of it.

On the morrow Peter Hardcastle would arrive, and he had urgently
directed that his coming should be in a private capacity, unknown to the
local police or neighborhood. Neither did he wish the staff of Chadlands
to associate him with the tragedy.

An official examination of the room had been made by the local
constabulary, as upon the occasion of Nurse Forrester's death; but it
was a perfunctory matter, and those responsible for it understood that
special attention would presently be paid to the problem by the supreme
authority.

"After this man has been and gone, I do earnestly beg you to leave
England and get abroad, Sir Walter," said Mannering. "I think it your
duty, not only for your girl's sake, but your own. Do not even wait for
the report. There is nothing to keep you, and I shall personally be
very thankful and relieved if you will manage this and take Mary to some
fresh scenes, a place or country that she has not visited before. There
is nothing like an entirely novel environment for distracting the mind,
bracing the nerves, and restoring tone."

"I must do my duty," answered the other, "and that remains to be seen.
If Hardcastle should find out anything, there may be a call upon me. At
least, I cannot turn my back upon Chadlands till the mystery is threshed
out to the bottom, as far as man can do it."

It was then that Septimus May spoke and astounded his hearers.

"You give me the opportunity to introduce my subject," he said, "for it
bears directly on Sir Walter's intentions, and it is in my power, as
I devoutly believe, to free him swiftly of any further need to remain
here. I am, of course, prepared to argue for my purpose, but would
rather not do so. Briefly, I hold it a vital obligation to spend this
night in the Grey Room, and I ask that no obstacle of any kind be raised
to prevent my doing so. The wisdom of man is foolishness before the wit
of God, and what I desire to do is God's will and wish, impressed upon
me while I knelt for long hours and prayed to know it. I am conv