Sir Lyon hesitated.  He was, in some of his ways, very old-fashioned.  It was not pleasant to him to bring a lady’s name into a discussion.  And yet he felt impelled to go on, for what had happened in the hall yesterday afternoon had moved and interested him as he had not thought to be interested and moved again.

“The woman saw nothing,” he said, slowly and impressively, “till Miss Dunster arrived at Wyndfell Hall.  I take that to mean that Miss Dunster is a very strong medium.”

“A medium?” repeated the doctor scoffingly.  “Who says medium surely says charlatan, Sir Lyon—­not to say something worse than charlatan!”

Sir Lyon looked thoughtfully at the younger man.  “I admit that often mediums are charlatans—­or rather, they begin by being mediums pure and simple, and they end by being mediums qua charlatans.  The temptations which lie in their way are terrible, especially if, as in the majority of cases, they make a living by their—­their”—­he hesitated—­“their extraordinary, as yet misunderstood, and generally mishandled gift.”

“Do you mean,” asked Varick gravely, “that you believe Bubbles possesses the power of raising the dead?”

Sir Lyon did not answer at once, but at last he said firmly:  “Either the dead, or some class of intermediate spirits who personate the human dead.  Yes, Varick, that is exactly what I do mean.”

All three men stopped in their now slow pacing.  Dr. Panton felt too much surprised to speak.

Sir Lyon went on:  “I think that Miss Bubbles’ arrival at Wyndfell Hall made visible, and is still making visible, much that would otherwise remain unseen.”

As he caught the look of incredulous amazement on the doctor’s face, he repeated very deliberately:  “That is my considered opinion.  As I said just now, I have had a very considerable experience of psychic phenomena, and I realized, during that seance which was held the first evening I spent here, that this young lady possessed psychic gifts of a very extraordinary nature.  There is no doubt at all, in my mind, that were she a professional medium, her fame would by now be world-wide.”

Perhaps it was the derisive, incredulous look on the young medical man’s face which stung him into adding:  “If I understand rightly”—­he turned to Varick—­“something very like what I should call an impromptu materialization took place in the hall yesterday—­is that not so?”

There was a pause.  Twice Varick cleared his throat.  Who had broken faith and told Sir Lyon what had happened?  He supposed it to have been Miss Burnaby.  “Though I was present,” he said at last, “I, myself, saw absolutely nothing.”

“I, too, have heard something of it!” exclaimed Dr. Panton, looking from one of his two now moved, embarrassed, and excited companions to the other.  “And you were actually present when it happened, Varick?”

As the other remained silent, he turned to Sir Lyon.  “What was it exactly Miss Brabazon thought she saw?”