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〃I think so。 I think we all escapedthat is； except Thompson； if
his name WAS Thompson； it might have been Parker；〃 continued Uncle
Sylvester； gazing with a certain languid astonishment on the eager
faces around him。
〃But HOW did you escape？〃
〃Oh； somehow！ I don't remember exactly。 I don't think；〃 he went
on reflectively； 〃that we had to eat Thompsonif it was HIMat
least not then。 No〃with a faint effort of recollection〃that
would have been another affair。 Yes；〃 assuringly to the eager；
frightened eyes of Cousin Jane； 〃you are quite right； that was
something altogether different。 Dear me； one quite mixes up these
things。 Eh？〃
A servant had entered； and after a hurried colloquy with Gabriel；
the latter turned to Uncle Sylvester
〃Excuse me； but I think there must be some mistake！ We brought up
your luggage with youtwo trunksin the station wagon。 A man has
just arrived with three more； which he says are yours。〃
〃There should be five in all； I think；〃 said Uncle Sylvester
thoughtfully。
〃Maybe there are； sir； I didn't count exactly；〃 said the servant。
〃All right；〃 said Uncle Sylvester cheerfully； turning to his
brother。 〃You can put them in my room or on the landing； except
two marked 'L' in a triangle。 They contain some things I picked up
for you and the girls。 We'll look them over in the morning。 And；
if you don't mind； I'll excuse myself now and go to bed。〃
〃But it's only half past ten；〃 said Gabriel remonstratingly。 〃You
don't； surely； go to bed at half past ten？〃
〃I do when I travel。 Travel is SO exhausting。 Good…night！ Don't
let anybody disturb themselves to come with me。〃
He bowed languidly to the company； and disappeared with a yawn
gracefully disguised into a parting smile。
〃Well！〃 said Cousin Jane； drawing a long breath。
〃I don't believe it's your Uncle Sylvester at all！〃 said Marie
vivaciously。 〃It's some trick that Gabriel is playing upon us。
And he's not even a good actorhe forgets his part。〃
〃And； then； five trunks for one single man！ Heavens！ what can he
have in them〃 said Cousin Emma。
〃Perhaps his confederates； to spring out upon us at night； after
everybody's asleep。〃
〃Are you sure you remembered him； papa？〃 said Kitty sotto voce。
〃Certainly。 And； my dear child； he knows all the family history as
well as you do； and〃continued her father with a slight laugh that
did not； however； conceal a certain seriousness that was new to
him〃I only wish I understood as much about the property as he
does。 By the way； Amos；〃 he broke off suddenly； turning to the
young man； 〃he seemed to know your people。〃
〃Most men in the financial world do；〃 said Gunn a little
superciliously。
〃Yes； but he asked me if you hadn't a relative of some kind in
Southern California or Mexico。〃
A slight flushso slight that only the keen； vivaciously observant
eyes of Marie noticed itpassed over the young man's face。
〃I believe it is a known fact that our branch of the family never
emigrated from their native town；〃 he said emphatically。 〃The
Gunns were rather peculiar and particular in that respect。〃
〃Then there were no offshoots from the old STOCK；〃 said Gabriel。
Nevertheless； this pet joke of Gabriel's did not dissipate the
constraint and disappointment left upon the company by Uncle
Sylvester's unsatisfying performance and early withdrawal； and they
separated soon after； Kitty and Marie being glad to escape upstairs
together。 On the landing they met two of the Irish housemaids in a
state of agitated exhaustion。 It appeared that the 〃sthrange
gintleman〃 had requested that his bed be remade from bedclothes
and bedding ALWAYS CARRIED WITH HIM IN HIS TRUNKS！ From their
apologetic tone it was evident that he had liberally rewarded them。
〃Shure； Miss；〃 protested Norah； in deprecation of Kitty's flashing
eye； 〃there's thim that's lived among shnakes and poysin riptiles
and faverous disayses that's particklar av the beds and sheets they
lie on。 Hisht！ Howly Mother！ it's something else he's wanting
now！〃
The door of Uncle Sylvester's room had slowly opened； and a blue
pyjama'd sleeve appeared； carefully depositing the sheaf of bows
and arrows outside the door。 〃I say； Norah； or Bridget there； some
of you take those infernal things away。 And look out； will you；
for the arrowheads are deadly poison。 The fool who got 'em didn't
know they were African； and not Indian at all！ And hold on！〃 The
hand vanished； and presently reappeared holding two rifles。 〃And
take these away； too！ They're loaded； capped； and NOT on the half…
cock！ A jar； a fall； the slightest shock is enough to send them
off！〃
〃I'm dreadfully sorry that you should find it so uncomfortable in
our house； Uncle Sylvester；〃 said Kitty； with a flushed cheek and
vibrating voice。
〃Oh； it's youis it？〃 said Uncle Sylvester's voice cheerfully。 〃I
thought it was Bridget out there。 No； I don't intend to find it
uncomfortable。 That's why I'm putting these things outside。 But；
for Heaven's sake； don't YOU touch them。 Leave that to the
ineffable ass who put them there。 Good…night！〃
The door closed； the whispering voices of the girls faded from the
corridor； the lights were lowered in the central hall； only the red
Cyclopean eye of an enormous columnar stove； like a lighthouse；
gleamed through the darkness。 Outside； the silent night sparkled；
glistened； and finally paled。 Towards morning； having invested the
sturdy wooden outer walls of the house and filmed with delicate
tracery every available inch of window pane； it seemed stealthily
to invade the house itself； stilling and chilling it as it drew
closer around its central heart of warmth and life。 Only once the
frigid stillness was broken by the opening of a door and steps
along the corridor。 This was preceded by an acrid smell of burning
bark。
It was subtle enough to permeate the upper floor and the bedroom
of Marie du Page； who was that night a light and nervous sleeper。
Peering from her door； she could see； on the lower corridor； the
extraordinary spectacle of Uncle Sylvester； robed in a gorgeous
Japanese dressing…gown of quilted satin trimmed with the fur of
the blue fox； candle in hand； leisurely examining the wall of the
passage。 Presently； drawing out a footrule from his pocket； he
actually began to measure it！ Miss Du Page saw no more。 Hurriedly
closing her door； she locked and bolted it； firmly convinced that
Gabriel Lane was harboring in the guise of Uncle Sylvester a
somnambulist； a maniac； or an impostor。
PART II。
〃It doesn't seem as if Uncle Sylvester was any the more comfortable
for having his own private bedding with him；〃 said Kitty Lane；
entering Marie's room early the next morning。 〃Bridget found him
curled up in his furs like a cat asleep on the drawing…room sofa
this morning。〃
Marie started； she remembered her last night's vision。 But some
instinctshe knew not whatkept her from revealing it at this
moment。 She only said a little ironically：
〃Perhaps he missed the wild freedom of his barbaric life in a small
bedroom。〃
〃No。 Bridget says he said something about being smoked out of his
room by a ridiculous wood fire。 The idea！ As if a man brought up
in the woods couldn't stand a little smoke。 Nothat's his excuse！
Marie！do you know what I firmly believe？〃
〃No；〃 said Marie quickly。
〃I firmly believe that poor man is ashamed of his past rough life；
and does everything he can to forget it。 That's why he affects
those ultra…civilized and effeminate ways； and goes to the other
extreme； as people always do。〃
〃Then you think he's really reformed； and isn't likely to take an
impulse to rob and murder anybody again？〃
〃Why； Marie； what nonsense！〃
Nevertheless； Uncle Sylvester appeared quite fresh and cheerful at
breakfast。 It seemed that he had lit the fire before undressing；
but the green logs were piled so far into the room that the smoke
nearly suffocated him。 Fearful of alarming the house by letting
the smoke escape through the door； he opened the window； and when
it had partly dispersed； sought refuge himself from the arctic air
of his bedroom in the drawing…room。 So far the act did not seem
inconsistent with his sanity； or even intelligence and consideration
for others。 But Marie fixed upon him a pair of black； audacious
eyes。
〃Did you ever walk in your sleep； Mr。 Lane？〃
〃No； but〃thoughtfully breaking an egg〃I have ridden； I think。〃
〃In your sleep？ Oh； do tell us all about it！〃 said Cousins Jane
and Emma in chorus。
Uncle Sylvester cast a resigned glance out of the window。 〃Oh；
yescertainly； it isn't much。 You see at one time I was in the
habit of making long monotonous journeys； and they were often
exhausting； and；〃 he added； becoming wearied as if at the
recollection； 〃always dreadfully tiresome。 As the trail was
sometimes very uncertain and dangerous； I rode a very surefooted
mule that could go anywhere where there was space big enough to set
her small hoofs upon。 One night I was coming down the slope of a
mountain towards a narrow valley and river that were crossed by an
old； abandoned flume； of which nothing was now left but the upright
trestle…work and long