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Page 70
Then Mannering went to the billiard-room, lolled on the settee for
a time, and drowsed through another hour. For a few minutes he
lost consciousness, started up to blame his weakness, and looked
at his watch. But he had only slumbered for five minutes.
At six o'clock he told himself that it was morning, and went in
again to Sir Walter. The old man had wakened, and was sitting in
quiet reflection until daylight should outline the great window
above the dead.
"The night has been one of peace," he declared. "The spirit of
poor May seemed near me, and I felt, too, as though his son were
not far off, either. Is all well with the watchers?"
"I leave you to inquire, but don't go too near them. Night fades
over the woods, so the day can be said to have begun."
"Doubtless the household will be stirring. I shall go and inquire,
if they will permit me to do so. Oblige me by staying here a few
minutes until I call my daughter. I do not want our poor friend
to be alone until he leaves us."
"I will stay here for the present. But don't let Mary be called
if she is sleeping, and turn in yourself for a few hours now."
"I have slept off and on."
Sir Walter left him and ascended to the corridor. Already light
moved wanly in the windows.
He stood at the top of the staircase and raised his voice.
"Is all well, gentlemen?" he asked loudly; but he received no answer.
"Is all well?" he cried again.
And then from the gloom emerged Inspector Frith. He had doffed
his gas mask.
Sir Walter switched on an electric light.
"Nothing, I trust, has happened?"
"Nothing whatever, Sir Walter. No sign or sound of anything out
of the common can be recorded."
"Thank Heaven--thank Heaven for that!"
"Though we had exhausted the possibilities of such a thing, we none
the less expected gas," explained the detective. "That seemed the
only conceivable means by which life might be destroyed in that
room. Therefore we wore gas masks of the latest pattern, supposed
to defy any gaseous combination ever turned out of a laboratory.
It is well known that new, destructive gases were discovered just
before the end of the war--gases said to be infinitely more speedy
and deadly than any that were employed. As to that, and whether
the Government has the secret of them, I cannot say. But no gas
was liberated in the Grey Room last night. Otherwise a rat in a
trap and birds in a cage, which we kept by us, would have felt it.
The room is pure enough."
Sir Walter followed him down the corridor, and chatted with the
other men also. They had left the Grey Room and taken off their
masks; they looked weary and haggard in the waxing, white light
of day.
"You've done your duty, and I am beyond measure thankful that no
evil has overtaken you. What can now be prepared for you in the
way of food?"
They thanked him, and declared that in an hour they would be glad
of breakfast. Then Sir Walter went to his own apartments, rang,
and gave the needful directions. He joined Mary soon afterwards,
and she shared his thanksgivings. She was already dressed, and
descended immediately to Dr. Mannering.
Henry Lennox also appeared soon afterwards. He had already learned
from Fred Caunter that the watchers were safely through the night.
Chadlands was the scene of another inquest, and again a coroner's
jury declared that Septimus May, as his son before him, had died
by the Hand of God. Later in the day the dead man was conveyed to
his own parish, and two days later Sir Walter and Mary, with her
cousin, attended the funeral.
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