Only he and the canon heard the full details, though the doctor afterwards shared them with Palmer. They now learned of the homicide, which had been followed by Mr. Bradley’s detention for a period of several years in a lunatic asylum. Then, apparently cured, and on his father’s guaranteeing to look after him, he had been released; but after his father’s death, possibly fearing that he might be put again under restraint, possibly only to escape from those who knew his story, Mr. Bradley had disappeared. It was now that he dropped the name of Tennant, keeping only his two Christian names, and that he came as organist to Ballinreagh church. The only person belonging to the past with whom he kept in touch was this friend who related the history. Sometimes they met and stayed for a week together, but Mr. Bradley would never visit at his friend’s home, nor allow him to come to Ballinreagh. And of late certain rather ominous signs, which might prelude a relapse, had begun to loom like warning lamps through the darkness:――for instance, that matter of mysterious letters, letters which never arrived, letters which would confirm a claim to some fantastic title or fortune.... Doctor O’Neill at this point could not help casting a meaning glance at the canon, but the canon was absorbed in the story, and though, later on, he admitted that he had judged Palmer over-hastily, both he and Miss Annesley, to the very end, refused to believe that the organist had been in any way responsible for Grif’s illness. The doctor threw out a question or two on the subject of Mr. Bradley’s delusions, and himself described Palmer’s curious experiment, while the canon fidgeted uneasily.... And the matter dropped.... It cannot be denied that, as time passed, the progress of a fund for rebuilding the church occupied more of Canon Annesley’s thoughts than the memory of his organist; and those with whom that memory remained greenest were Grif and Doctor O’Neill. But for very different reasons. The doctor was interested entirely on Grif’s account. That is to say, he still puzzled over the unfortunate Mr. Bradley, because he was still puzzled as to the nature of the hold he had obtained upon his patient. Nothing had been revealed as to that, and nothing now seemed ever likely to be revealed. What caused the matter to linger in the doctor’s mind was the simple fact that Grif was not making the progress he had expected. The little boy had been what was called ‘better’ for some weeks now, but the doctor did not believe he was well. He ran about more or less as he had done before his illness; Miss Annesley and his grandfather seemed quite satisfied as to his health:――and in spite of this the doctor knew, and Palmer knew, that he was not the boy he had been.... * * * * *