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evidence connecting him with Dolly Calthorpe's unaccountable missing
of the last train home； is of course； a more serious matter。 Mrs。
Dawson； a handsome； high…spirited woman herself； may have found
Dawson； as originally fashioned； trying to the nerves； though even
then the question arises： Why have married him？ But there is a
difference； as Mrs。 Dawson has pointed out； between a husband who
hasn't enough of the natural man in him and a husband who has a deal
too much。 It is difficult to regulate these matters。
Altogether； and taking an outside estimate； the Doctor's opinion is
that there may have been half a dozen； who； with Malvina's
assistance； succeeded in hypnotising themselves into temporary
insanity。 When Malvina； a little disappointed； but yielding quite
sweetly her own judgment to that of the wise and learned
Christopher； consented to 〃restore〃 them； the explanation was that；
having spent their burst of ill…acquired energy； they fell back at
the first suggestion to their former selves。
Mrs。 Arlington does not agree with the Doctor。 She had been trying
to reform herself for quite a long time and had miserably failed。
There was something about themit might almost be described as an
aromathat prompted her that evening to take the twins into her
confidence； a sort of intuition that in some way they could help
her。 It remained with her all the next day； and when the twins
returned in the evening； in company with the postman； she knew
instinctively that they had been about her business。 It was this
same intuitive desire that drew her to the Downs。 She is confident
she would have taken that walk to the Cross Stones even if the twins
had not proposed it。 Indeed； according to her own account； she was
not aware that the twins had accompanied her。 There was something
about the stones； a sense as of a presence。 She knew when she
reached them that she had arrived at the appointed place； and when
there appeared to hercoming from where she could not tella
diminutive figure that seemed in some mysterious way as if it were
clothed merely in the fading light； she remembered distinctly that
she was neither surprised nor alarmed。 The diminutive lady sat down
beside her and took Mrs。 Arlington's hands in both her own。 She
spoke in a strange language； but Mrs。 Arlington at the time
understood it； though now the meaning of it had passed from her。
Mrs。 Arlington felt as if her body were being taken away from her。
She had a sense of falling； a feeling that she must make some
desperate effort to rise again。 The strange little lady was helping
her； assisting her to make this supreme effort。 It was as if ages
were passing。 She was wrestling with unknown powers。 Suddenly she
seemed to slip from them。 The little lady was holding her up。
Clasping each other； they rose and rose and rose。 Mrs。 Arlington
had a firm conviction that she must always be struggling upward； or
they would overtake her and drag her down again。 When she awoke the
little lady had gone； but that feeling remained with her； that
passionate acceptance of ceaseless struggle； activity； contention；
as now the end and aim of her existence。 At first she did not
recollect where she was。 A strange colourless light was around her；
and a strange singing as of myriads of birds。 And then the clock
struck nine and life came back to her with a rush。 But with it
still that conviction that she must seize hold of herself and
everybody else and get things done。 Its immediate expression； as
already has been mentioned； was experienced by the twins。
When； after a talk with the Professor； aided and abetted by Mr。
Arlington and the eldest Arlington girl； she consented to pay that
second visit to the stones； it was with very different sensations
that she climbed the grass…grown path。 The little lady had met her
as before； but the curious deep eyes looked sadly； and Mrs。
Arlington had the impression； generally speaking； that she was about
to assist at her own funeral。 Again the little lady took her by the
hands； and again she experienced that terror of falling。 But
instead of ending with contest and effort she seemed to pass into a
sleep； and when she opened her eyes she was again alone。 Feeling a
little chilly and unreasonably tired； she walked slowly home； and
not being hungry； retired supperless to bed。 Quite unable to
explain why； she seems to have cried herself to sleep。
One supposes that something of a similar nature may have occurred to
the otherswith the exception of Mrs。 Marigold。 It was the case of
Mrs。 Marigold that； as the Doctor grudgingly admits； went far to
weaken his hypothesis。 Mrs。 Marigold； having emerged； was spreading
herself； much to her own satisfaction。 She had discarded her
wedding ring as a relic of barbarismof the days when women were
mere goods and chattels； and had made her first speech at a meeting
in favour of marriage reform。 Subterfuge； in her case； had to be
resorted to。 Malvina had tearfully consented； and Marigold； M。P。；
was to bring Mrs。 Marigold to the Cross Stones that same evening and
there leave her； explaining to her that Malvina had expressed a wish
to see her again〃just for a chat。〃
All might have ended well if only Commander Raffleton had not
appeared framed in the parlour door just as Malvina was starting。
His Cousin Christopher had written to the Commander。 Indeed； after
the Arlington affair； quite pressingly； and once or twice had
thought he heard the sound of Flight Commander Raffleton's
propeller； but on each occasion had been disappointed。 〃Affairs of
State；〃 Cousin Christopher had explained to Malvina； who； familiar
one takes it with the calls upon knights and warriors through all
the ages； had approved。
He stood there with his helmet in his hand。
〃Only arrived this afternoon from France；〃 he explained。 〃Haven't
a moment to spare。〃
But he had just time to go straight to Malvina。 He laughed as he
took her in his arms and kissed her full upon the lips。
When last he had kissed herit had been in the orchard； the
Professor had been witness to itMalvina had remained quite
passive； only that curious little smile about her lips。 But now an
odd thing happened。 A quivering seemed to pass through all her
body； so that it swayed and trembled。 The Professor feared she was
going to fall； and； maybe to save herself； she put up her arms about
Commander Raffleton's neck； and with a strange low cryit sounded
to the Professor like the cry one sometimes hears at night from some
little dying creature of the woodsshe clung to him sobbing。
It must have been a while later when the chiming of the clock
recalled to the Professor the appointment with Mrs。 Marigold。
〃You will only just have time；〃 he said； gently seeking to release
her。 〃I'll promise to keep him till you come back。〃 And as Malvina
did not seem to understand； he reminded her。
But still she made no movement； save for a little gesture of the
hands as if she were seeking to lay hold of something unseen。 And
then she dropped her arms and looked from one of them to the other。
The Professor did not think of it at the time； but remembered
afterwards； that strange aloofness of hers； as if she were looking
at you from another world。 One no longer felt it。
〃I am so sorry；〃 she said。 〃It is too late。 I am only a woman。〃
And Mrs。 Marigold is still thinking。
THE PROLOGUE。
And here follows the Prologue。 It ought； of course； to have been
written first； but nobody knew of it until quite the end entirely。
It was told to Commander Raffleton by a French comrade； who in days
of peace had been a painter； mingling with others of his kind；
especially such as found their inspiration in the wide horizons and
legend…haunted dells of old…world Brittany。 Afterwards the
Commander told it to the Professor； and the Professor's only
stipulation was that it should not be told to the Doctor； at least
for a time。 For the Doctor would see in it only confirmation for
his own narrow sense…bound theories； while to the Professor it
confirmed beyond a doubt the absolute truth of this story。
It commenced in the year Eighteen hundred and ninety…eight （anno
Domini）； on a particularly unpleasant evening in late February〃a
stormy winter's night；〃 one would describe it； were one writing mere
romance。 It came to the lonely cottage of Madame Lavigne on the
edge of the moor that surrounds the sunken village of Aven…a…Christ。
Madame Lavigne； who was knitting stockingsfor she lived by
knitting stockingsheard； as she thought； a passing of feet； and
what seemed like a tap at the door。 She dismissed the idea； for who
would be passing at such an hour； and where there was no road？ But
a few minutes later the tapping came again； and Madame Lavigne；
taking her candle in her hand； went to see who was there。 The
instant she released the latch a gust of wind blew out the candle；
and Madame Lavigne could see no one。 She called； but there was no
answer。 She was about to close the door again when she heard a
faint sound。 It was not exactly a cry。 It was as if someone she
could not see； in the tiniest of voices； had said something she
could not