“That he does not like to do anything which may look like believing in its possibility?”

“He says,” quoth Tom, parrying the question, but in a somewhat dry tone, “that he is afraid of alarming Mrs. Vavasour and the servants.”

The Major said something under his breath, which Tom did not catch, and then, in an appeased tone of voice—­

“Well, that is at least a fault on the right side.  Mrs. Vavasour’s brother, as owner of the place, is of course the proper person to make the house fit for habitation.”  And he relapsed into silence, while Thurnall, who suspected more than met the ear, rose to depart.

“Are you going?  It is not late; not ten o’clock yet.”

“A medical man, who may be called up at any moment, must make sure of his ‘beauty sleep,’”

“I will walk with you, and smoke my last cigar.”  So they went out, and up to Heale’s.  Tom went in:  but he observed that his companion, after standing awhile in the street irresolutely, went on up the hill, and, as far as he could see, turned up the lane to Vavasour’s.

“A mystery here,” thought he, as he put matters to rights in the surgery ere going upstairs.  “A mystery which I may as well fathom.  It may be of use to poor Tom, as most other mysteries are.  That is, though, if I can do it honourably; for the man is a gallant gentleman.  I like him, and I am inclined to trust him.  Whatsoever his secret is, I don’t think that it is one which he need be ashamed of.  Still, ’there’s a deal of human natur’ in man,’ and there may be in him:—­and what matter if there is?”

Half an hour afterwards the Major returned, took the candle from Grace, who was sitting up for him, and went upstairs with a gentle “good night,” but without looking at her.

He sat down at the open window, and looked out leaning on the sill.

“Well, I was too late:  I daresay there was some purpose in it.  When shall I learn to believe that God takes better care of His own than I can do?  I was faithless and impatient to-night.  I am afraid I betrayed myself before that man.  He looks like one, certainly, who could be trusted with a secret:  yet I had rather that he had not mine.  It is my own fault, like everything else!  Foolish old fellow that you are, fretting and fussing to the end!  Is not that scene a message from above, saying, ’Be still, and know that I am God’?”

And the Major looked out upon the summer sea, lit by a million globes of living fire, and then upon the waves which broke in flame upon the beach, and then up to the spangled stars above.