these three and their knowledge of one another； utterly baffling。
It was the queerest household； surely； into which any stranger had
ver been precipitated。
〃The planting of trees and the laying down of port are two virtues
in our ancestors which have never been properly appreciated；〃 Mr。
Fentolin continued。 〃Let us； at any rate； free ourselves from the
reproach of ingratitude so far as regards my grandfather … Gerald
Fentolin … to whom I believe we are indebted for this wine。 We
will drink …〃
Mr。 Fentolin broke off in the middle of his sentence。 The august
calm of the great house had been suddenly broken。 From up…stairs
came the tumult of raised voices； the slamming of a door； the
falling of something heavy upon the floor。 Mr。 Fentolin listened
with a grim change in his expression。 His smile had departed； his
lower lip was thrust out； his eyebrows met。 He raised the little
whistle which hung from his chain。 At that moment； however； the
door was opened。 Doctor Sarson appeared。
〃I am sorry to disturb you； Mr。 Fentolin；〃 he said； 〃but our patient
is becoming a little difficult。 The concussion has left him； as I
feared it might； in a state of nervous excitability。 He insists
upon an interview with you。〃
Mr。 Fentolin backed his little chair from the table。 The doctor
came over and laid his hand upon the handle。
〃You will； I am sure； excuse me for a few moments； Mr。 Hamel；〃
his host begged。 〃My niece and nephew will do their best to
entertain you。 Now； Sarson； I am ready。〃
Mr。 Fentolin glided across the dim； empty spaces of the splendid
apartment； followed by the doctor； a ghostly little procession it
seemed。 The door was closed behind them。 For a few moments a
curious silence ensued。 Gerald remained tense and apparently
suffering from some sort of suppressed emotion。 Esther for the
first time moved in her place。 She leaned towards Hamel。 Her lips
were slowly parted； her eyes sought the door as though in terror。
Her voice； although save for themselves there was no one else in
the whole of that great apartment； had sunk to the lowest of
whispers。
〃Are you a brave man； Mr。 Hamel？〃 she asked。
He was staggered but he answered her promptly。
〃I believe so。〃
〃Don't give up the Tower … just yet。 That is what … he has brought
you here for。 He wants you to give it up and go back。 Don't！〃
The earnestness of her words was unmistakable。 Hamel felt the
thrill of coming events。
〃Why not？〃
〃Don't ask me；〃 she begged。 〃Only if you are brave； if you have
feeling for others； keep the Tower； if it be for only a week。
Hush！〃
The door had been noiselessly opened。 The doctor appeared and
advanced to the table with a grave little bow。
〃Mr。 Fentolin；〃 he said； 〃has been kind enough to suggest that I
take a glass of wine with you。 My presence is not needed up…stairs。
Mr。 Hamel；〃 he added； 〃I am glad； sir； to make your acquaintance。
I have for a long time been a great admirer of your father's work。〃
He took his place at the head of the table and； filling his glass；
bowed towards Hamel。 Once more Gerald and his sister relapsed
almost automatically into an indifferent and cultivated silence。
Hamel found civility towards the newcomer difficult。 Unconsciously
his attitude became that of the other two。 He resented the
intrusion。 He found himself regarding the advent of Doctor Sarson
as possessing some secondary significance。 It was almost as though
Mr。 Fentolin preferred not to leave him alone with his niece and
nephew。
Neverthe1ess； his voice； when he spoke； was clear and
firm。
CHAPTER XIV
Mr。 Fentolin； on leaving the dining…room； steered his chair with
great precision through the open； wrought…iron doors of a small
lift at the further end of the hall； which Doctor Sarson； who
stepped in with him； promptly directed to the second floor。 Here
they made their way to the room in which Mr。 Dunster was lying。
Doctor Sarson opened the door and looked in。 Almost immediately
he stood at one side； out of sight of Mr。 Dunster； and nodded to Mr。
Fentolin。
〃If there is any trouble；〃 he whispered； 〃send for me。 I am better
away； for the present。 My presence only excites him。〃
Mr。 Fentolin nodded。
〃You are right；〃 he said。 〃Go down into the dining…room。 I am not
sure about that fellow Hamel； and Gerald is in a queer temper。 Stay
with them。 See that they are not alone。〃
The doctor silently withdrew； and Mr。 Fentolin promptly glided past
him into the room。 Mr。 John P。 Dunster； in his night clothes； was
sitting on the side of the bed。 Standing within a few feet of him；
watching him all the time with the subtle intentness of a cat
watching a mouse； stood Meekins。 Mr。 Dunster's head was still bound；
although the bandage had slipped a little； apparently in some
struggle。 His face was chalklike； and he was breathing quickly。
〃So you've come at last！〃 he exclaimed； a little truculently。 〃Are
you Mr。 Fentolin？〃
Mr。 Fentolin gravely admitted his identity。 His eyes rested upon
his guest with an air of tender interest。 His face was almost
beautiful。
〃You are the owner of this house … I am underneath your roof … is
that so？〃
〃This is certainly St。 David's Hall；〃 Mr。 Fentolin replied。 〃It
really appears as though your conclusions were correct。〃
〃Then will you tell me why I am kept a prisoner here？〃
Mr。 Fentolin's expression was for a moment clouded。 He seemed hurt。
〃A prisoner；〃 he repeated softly。 〃My dear Mr。 Dunster； you have
surely forgotten the circumstances which procured for me the pleasure
of this visit； the condition in which you arrived here … only； after
all； a very few hours ago？〃
〃The circumstances；〃 Mr。 Dunster declared drily； 〃are to me still
inexplicable。 At Liverpool Street Station I was accosted by a
young man who informed me that his name was Gerald Fentolin； and
that he was on his way to The Hague to play in a golf tournament。
His story seemed entirely probable； and I permitted him a seat in
the special train I had chartered for Harwich。 There was an accident
and I received this blow to my head … only a trifling affair； after
all。 I come to my senses to find myself here。 I do not know exactly
what part of the world you call this； but from the fact that I can
see the sea from my window； it must be some considerable distance
from the scene of the accident。 I find that my dressing…case has
been opened； my pocket…book examined； and I am apparently a prisoner。
I ask you； Mr。 Fentolin； for an explanation。〃
Mr。 Fentolin smiled reassuringly。
〃My dear sir；〃 he said； 〃my dear Mr。 Dunster； I believe I may have
the pleasure of calling you … your conclusions seem to me just a
little melodramatic。 My nephew … Gerald Fentolin … did what I
consider the natural thing； under the circumstances。 You had been
courteous to him； and he repaid the obligation to the best of his
ability。 The accident to your train happened in a dreary part of
the country； some thirty miles from here。 My nephew adopted a
course which I think； under the circumstances； was the natural and
hospitable one。 He brought you to his home。 There was no hospital
or town of any importance nearer。〃
〃Very well；〃 Mr。 Dunster decided。 〃I will accept your version of
the affair。 I will； then； up to this point acknowledge myself your
debtor。 But will you tell me why my dressing…case has been opened；
my clothes removed； and a pocket…book containing papers of great
importance to me has been tampered with？〃
〃My dear Mr。 Dunster；〃 his host replled calmly； 〃you surely cannot
imagine that you are among thieves！ Your dressing…case was opened
and the contents of your pocket…book inspected with a view to
ascertaining your address； or the names of some friends with whom
we might communicate。〃
〃Am I to understand that they are to be restored to me； then？〃 Mr。
Dunster demanded。
〃Without a doubt； yes！〃 Mr。 Fentolin assured him。 〃You； however；
are not fit for anything； at the present moment； but to return to
your bed； from which I understand you rose rather suddenly a few
minutes ago。〃
〃On the contrary；〃 Mr。 Dunster insisted； 〃I am feeling absolutely
well enough to travel。 I have an appointment on the Continent of
great importance； as you may judge by the fact that at Liverpool
Street I chartered a special train。 I trust that nothing in my
manner may have given you offence； but I am anxious to get through
with the business which brought me over to this side of the water。
I have sent for you to ask that my pocket…book； dressing…case； and
clothes be at once restored to me； and that I be provided with
the means of continuing my journey without a moment's further delay。〃
Mr。 Fentolin shook his head very gently； very regretfully； but also
firmly。
〃Mr。 Dunster；〃 he pleaded； 〃do be reasonable。 Think of all you have
been through。 I can quite sympathise with you in your impatience；
but I am forced to tell you that the doctor who has been attending
you since the moment you were brought into this house has absolutely
forbidden anything of the sort。〃
Mr。 Dunster seemed； for a moment； to struggle for composure。
〃I am an American citizen；〃 he declared。 〃I am willing to listen
to the advice of any physician； but so long as I take the risk； I
am not bound to follow it。
In the present case I decline to follow it。 I ask for facilities
to leave this house at once。〃
Mr。 Fentolin sighed。
〃In your own interests；〃 he said calmly； 〃they will not be granted
to you。〃
Mr。 Dunster had spoken all the time like a man struggling to
preserve his self…control。 There were signs now that his will was
ceasing to serve him。 His eyes flashed fire； his voice was raised。
〃Will not be granted to me？〃 he repeated。 〃Do you mean to say；
then； that I am to be kept here against my will？〃
Mr。 Fentolin made no immediate reply。 With the delicate fingers of
his right hand he pushed back the hair from his forehead。 He looked
at his questioner soothingly； as one might look at a spoiled child。
〃Against my will？〃 Mr。 Dunster repeated； raising his voice still
higher。 〃Mr。 Fentolin； if the truth must be told； I have heard of
you before and been warned against y