elf have gone out of her mind. But something always
happened, as in this case, to demand her full attention, and so arrest
and deflect the strain almost at the moment of its impact.

She found that the ideas she had just employed to pacify the servants'
hall were also in her father's thoughts. From them, however, he won no
consolation, though he stood convinced. But the fact that Septimus May
should have failed, and paid for his failure with his life, now assumed
its true significance for Sir Walter. He was self-absorbed, prostrate,
and desperate. In such a condition one is not master of oneself, and may
say and do anything. The old man's armor was off, and in the course of
his next few speeches, by a selfish forgetfulness that he would have
been the first to condemn in another, he revealed a thing that was
destined to cause the young widow bitter and needless pain. First,
however, he pointed out what she already grasped and made clear to
others.

"This upsets all May's theories and gives the lie to me as well. Why
did I believe him! Why did I let him convince me against my better
judgment?"

"Do not fret about that now."

"You might say, 'I told you so!' but you will not do that. Nevertheless,
you were right to seek to stop this unfortunate man last night, and he
was terribly mistaken. No being from another world had anything to do
with his death. If we granted that, there is an end of religious faith."

"We can be sure of it, father. Evil spirits would have had no power over
Mr. May, if there is a just God in heaven."

"Then it is something else. If not a spirit, then a living man--a human
devil--and the police will discover him. In this house, one we have
known and trusted; for all are known and trusted. They will blame me,
with good reason, for sacrificing another life. The irony of fate that
I, of all men, one so much alive to the meaning of mercy--that I, out
of superstitious folly--But how will it look in the eyes of justice?
Black--black! I am well prepared to suffer what I have deserved, Mary.
Nothing that man can do to me equals the shame and dismay I feel when I
consider what I have done to myself!"

"You must not talk so; it is unworthy of you. You know it, father, while
you speak. Nobody has a right to question you or your opinions. Many
would have been convinced by Mr. May last night. They may still think
that he was right, and that, far from receiving evil treatment, he was
blessed by being taken