Dr. Jim looked puzzled. "Humph," said he, "I noticed that the house had no fences round it. One came upon it suddenly, as if it had been dropped from the skies. Carr threw down the walls, to show that he was not afraid. On the other hand he must have built that tower to show that he was." "I do not understand what you mean?" "Why? It is not difficult if you remember what you said to me when we met that girl. You hinted that Carr was afraid of something in which Frisco was concerned. Well then; evidently his first attitude was one of defiance towards this fear. Afterwards he thought better of it and built the tower. A man would not leave that splendid house to sleep in a bare room at the top of a tower unless he was afraid." "I think you are right," said Stephen musingly, "but I don't know what he was afraid of. It was the third year after he returned that he built the tower, and he was in such a hurry to get it done, that he had the men working at it by night. You know he has a magnificent system of electricity round about 'The Pines.' Well, the lights were on night after night until the tower was finished, and relays of workmen replaced one another. The whole county wondered at the way Carr went on." "He gave no explanation?" "No! He saw no one, but shut himself up like a hermit. Frisco attended to the house, and cooked the Colonel's meals. But I think Carr often cooked for himself. He was fond of cooking. For eight years he never went outside that house." "Humph! That accounts for the gymnasium, the bowling alley, and the shooting gallery. What about his business?" "He did it all my means of letter. Frith and Frith sent down a clerk occasionally. Carr was a clever man of business, and invested his money in good securities. So my mother said. She used to beard him in his den." "And the clergyman, Corn?" "Yes! He called also to try and reform the Colonel, but he did not succeed. A good fellow Corn, but weak. Can hold his tongue though." "On the contrary he talked a good deal to me." "So you said," muttered Stephen. "I wonder what he meant by that?" "Did he know the secret of Carr's life?" "Not that I know of. Corn always kept his mouth shut as I said. Why he should have talked openly to you I can't say?" "It seems to me that there are mysteries on all sides," said Herrick with a shrug. "Miss Bess used to visit Carr you say?" "She did once or twice; but I shall leave her to tell you of her visits and her opinion of her host." "Marsh!" said Dr. Jim after a pause. "Have you any idea who murdered Carr?" "No! Not the remotest. Unless it was Frisco." "On the face of it, one would think so. Why did Frisco run away?" Stephen rubbed his chin. "I think we must ask Bess," said he thoughtfully, "if anyone knows what is at the back of all this it is Bess Endicotte." CHAPTER V THE THEORY OF MRS. MARSH