The man turned toward the door where Percival stood, and in the darkness stumbled over a hassock. Instantly Percival was on the other side of the portiere, and, before the other had groped his way to the dark corner where the door was, had recrossed the empty parlour and was safely in the hall. He made his way to the dining-room, where supper was under way. "Mr. Bines has seen a ghost," said the sharp-eyed Mrs. Drelmer. "Poor chap's only starved to death," said Mrs. Gwilt-Athelstan. "Eat something, Mr. Bines; this supper is go-as-you-please. Nobody's to wait for anybody." Strung loosely about the big table a dozen people were eating hot scones and bannocks with clotted cream and marmalade, and drinking mulled cider. "And there's cold fowl and baked beans and doughnuts and all, for those who can't eat with a Scotch accent," said the host, cheerfully. Percival dropped into one of the chairs. "I'm Scotch enough to want a Scotch high-ball." "And you're getting it so high it's top-heavy," cautioned Mrs. Drelmer. Above the chatter of the table could be heard the voices of men and the musical laughter of women from the other rooms. "I simply can't get 'em together," said the hostess. "It's nice to have 'em all over the place," said her husband, "fair women and brave men, you know." "The men _have_ to be brave," she answered, shortly, with a glance at little Mrs. Akemit, who had permitted Percival to seat her at his side, and was now pleading with him to agree that simple ways of life are requisite to the needed measure of spirituality. Then came strains of music from the rich-toned organ. "Oh, that dear Ned Ristine is playing," cried one; and several of the group sauntered toward the music-room. The music flooded the hall and the room, so that the talk died low. "He's improvising," exclaimed Mrs. Akemit. "How splendid! He seems to be breathing a paean of triumph, some high, exalted spiritual triumph, as if his soul had risen above us--how precious!" When the deep swell had subsided to silvery ripples and the last cadence had fainted, she looked at Percival with moistened parted lips and eyes half-shielded, as if her full gaze would betray too much of her quivering soul. Then Percival heard the turquoised brunette say: "What a pity his wife is such an unsympathetic creature!" "But Mr. Ristine is unmarried, is he not?" he asked, quickly. There was a little laugh from Mrs. Drelmer. "Not yet--not that I've heard of." "I beg pardon!" "There have been rumours lots of times that he was going to be _unmarried_, but they always seem to adjust their little difficulties. He and his wife are now staying over at the Bloynes." "Oh! I see," answered Percival; "you're a jester, Mrs. Drelmer." "Ristine," observed the theosophic Wilberforce, in the manner of a hired oracle, "is, in his present incarnation, imperfectly monogamous." Some people came from the music-room.