“And they are very cunning.  Miss Saunders, you have put a totally new idea into my head.  I do not place much stress upon the motive you have attributed to them, nor do I see how the appearances noted could have been produced by these two antiquated women; but the interest they have displayed in the effect these have had upon others has been of the most decided nature.  They have called here after the departure of every fresh tenant, and it was all that I could do to answer their persistent inquiries.  It is to them and not to Mr. Searles I feel bound to report the apparition seen by Mrs. Packard.”

“To them!” I ejaculated in amazement.  “Why to them?  They no longer have a proprietary interest in the house.”

“Very true, but they long ago exacted a promise from me to keep a strict account of such complaints as were raised against the house.  They, in short, paid me to do so.  From time to time they have come here to read this account.  It annoys Mr. Searles, but I have had considerable patience with them for reasons which your kind heart will instantly suggest.”

I thought of the real pathos of the situation, and how much I might increase his interest by giving him the full details of their pitiful history, and the maddening hopes it engendered of a possible discovery of the treasure they still believed to be hidden in the house.  What I said, however, was this: 

“You have kept an account, you say, of the varied phenomena seen in this house?  You have that account now?”

“Yes, Miss Saunders.”

“Let us look it over together.  Let us see if it does not give us some clue to the mystery puzzling us.”

He eyed me doubtfully, or as much so as his great nature would allow.  Meantime, I gauged my man.  Was he to be thoroughly and unequivocally trusted?  His very hesitation in face of his undoubted sympathy with me seemed to insure that he was.  At all events, the occasion warranted some risk on my part.  At least I persuaded myself that it did; so without waiting for his reply, I earnestly remarked: 

“The matter is more serious than you suppose.  If the mayor were not unavoidably called away by his political obligations, he would add his entreaties to mine for a complete sifting of this whole affair.  The Misses Quinlan may very well be innocent of inciting these manifestations; if so, we can do them no harm by a little confidential consideration of the affair from the standpoint I have given you.  If they are not, then Mr. Searles and Mayor Packard should know it.”

It appeared to convince him.  His homely face shone with the fire of sudden interest and resolve, and, reaching for a small drawer at the right of his desk, he opened it and drew forth a folded paper which he proceeded to open before me with the remark: 

“Here is a report that I have kept for my own satisfaction.  I do not feel that in showing it to you I am violating any trust reposed in me by the Misses Quinlan.  I never promised secrecy in the matter.”