"I think I'll send Uncle Gif's body, at once, and hope to find Vernie's later. It _must_ be found----" Braye looked about wildly. "I wish I had been here last night! Oh, forgive me, I'm not casting any hint of blame on you others, but,--well, you know I wasn't here when--when it happened, either, and I can't sense it all as you do. Professor Hardwick, what do you think about it all?" "I'm an old man, Braye, and I've had wide experience, also, I'm a hard one to convince without strong and definite proof, but I'll state now, once for all, that I'm a complete convert to spiritism and I believe,--I know,--these deaths of our friends were the acts of an inimical spirit, a phantasm, incensed at our curiosity concerning the occult, and our frivolous attitude toward the whole subject." "You really believe that, Professor?" "I really do, Braye, and moreover I am convinced that the disappearance of--of little Vernie, is the work of the evil spirit. What else can explain it?" "Nothing that I know of, but I can't swallow the idea of a disembodied spirit making off with a real, material body! I _wish_ I'd been here! Didn't _anybody_ see or hear _anything_?" "No," declared Landon, but Norma gave a quick glance at Eve, who returned it with a defiant toss of her Titian-coloured head. "Why do you look at me like that, Norma?" she asked, shortly. "Why do I?" Norma repeated in a soft significant tone. "I think you know, Eve." "Well, I for one, shall stay up here for a time, and see how matters go on," said Braye, with sudden determination. "Who else wants to stay?" "I do," said Professor Hardwick, "I think we've by no means seen the last of the manifestations, and though I feel there is a danger, I am ready to brave it for the sake of investigating further." "I don't want to stay," and Milly shook with nervous apprehension. "Can't we go home, Wynne?" "Very soon, darling. You can go at once, and I'll follow as soon as things are adjusted up here. I think none of us ought to seem to run away." "Certainly not," Tracy agreed, promptly. "The whole affair is so astounding, I can scarcely get my wits together, but I see clearly, no one must leave this house, until we are all exonerated from suspicion." "Not even me?" asked Milly, tearfully. "That's for you and Mr. Landon to decide," returned Tracy, gently. "I'm not dictating, not even advising, but I have strong opinions on the subject. What say, Braye?" "I quite agree with you, Tracy. But, I'm sure if Mrs. Landon prefers to go down to New York and stay at her mother's no one could possibly object." "But I don't!" Milly surprised them all by saying, "if you put it that way,--if it's cowardly to go away, I don't want to go. I want to stay, if Wynne does, and if Eve and Norma stay."