Martha sniffed.  “I guess likely we were all disturbed,” she said.  “Especially those of us who knew.  But how did Marietta know?  That’s what I can’t understand.  Or did she just guess?”

Before Bangs could answer there was a rap on the windowpane.  Martha, going to the door, admitted Nelson Howard himself.  The young man’s first speech was a question.

“Do you know what became of my hat?” he asked.  “Like an idiot I hung my hat and coat in that entry off the dining room when I went in.  When I came out just now the hat was gone.”

Martha looked troubled.

“It wasn’t that cap you wear so much, at the station and everywhere?” she asked.  “I hope no one took that; they’d know whose ’twas in a minute.”

“Yes, that’s what I’m afraid of.  I . . .  Eh?  Why, there it is now.”

The cap was lying on the couch beside Mr. Bangs’ overcoat.  Howard picked it up with an air of great relief.

“You brought it over for me, Mr. Bangs, didn’t you?” he cried.

“Why—­why, yes, I—­I did,” stammered Galusha.  “You see, I—­”

The young man broke in enthusiastically.  “By jingo, that was clever of you!” he cried.  “I was afraid some one had got that cap who would recognize it.  Say,” he went on, “I owe you about everything to-night, Mr. Bangs.  When Marietta gave out her proclamation that the ‘small dark man’ was in that house I came nearer to believing in her kind of spiritualism than I ever thought I should.  I was scared—­not on my own account, I hope—­but for Lulie and her father.  If the old cap’n had found me hiding in that front hall I don’t know what he might have done, or tried to do.  And I don’t know what effect it might have had on him.  He was—­ well, judging from what I could hear, he was in a state that was—­ that was pretty near to—­to—­”

While he was hesitating Martha Phipps finished the sentence.  “To what they put people in asylums for,” she said, emphatically.  “He was, there is no doubt about that.  It’s a mercy he didn’t find you, Nelson.  And if I were you I wouldn’t take any such chances again.”

“I shan’t, you needn’t worry.  When Lulie and I meet after this it will be—­ Humph! well, I don’t know where it will be.  Even the graveyard doesn’t seem to be safe.  But I must go.  Tell Lulie I got away safe and sound, thanks to Mr. Bangs here.  And tell her to ’phone me to-morrow.  I’m anxious about Cap’n Jeth.  Sometimes I think it might be just as well if I went straight to him and told him—­”

Again Martha interrupted.

“My soul, no!” she exclaimed.  “Not now, not till he gets that ‘small dark man’ notion out of his head.”

“I suppose you’re right.  And Mr. Bangs has set him guessing on that, too.  Honestly, Mr. Bangs, you’ve just about saved—­well, if you haven’t saved everybody’s life you’ve come pretty near to saving the cap’n’s reason, I do believe.  How Lulie and I can ever thank you enough I don’t know.”