The Circular Staircase - Page 88/154

"I must make a double excuse for this early visit, Miss Innes," he said

as he sat down. The chair was lower than he expected, and his dignity

required collecting before he went on. "My professional duties are

urgent and long neglected, and"--a fall to the every-day

manner--"something must be done about that body."

"Yes," I said, sitting on the edge of my chair. "I merely wished the

address of Thomas' people. You might have telephoned, if you were

busy."

He smiled.

"I wished to see you about something else," he said. "As for Thomas,

it is Mrs. Armstrong's wish that you would allow her to attend to the

expense. About his relatives, I have already notified his brother, in

the village. It was heart disease, I think. Thomas always had a bad

heart."

"Heart disease and fright," I said, still on the edge of my chair. But

the doctor had no intention of leaving.

"I understand you have a ghost up here, and that you have the house

filled with detectives to exorcise it," he said.

For some reason I felt I was being "pumped," as Halsey says. "You have

been misinformed," I replied.

"What, no ghost, no detectives!" he said, still with his smile. "What a

disappointment to the village!"

I resented his attempt at playfulness. It had been anything but a joke

to us.

"Doctor Walker," I said tartly, "I fail to see any humor in the

situation. Since I came here, one man has been shot, and another one

has died from shock. There have been intruders in the house, and

strange noises. If that is funny, there is something wrong with my

sense of humor."

"You miss the point," he said, still good-naturedly. "The thing that

is funny, to me, is that you insist on remaining here, under the

circumstances. I should think nothing would keep you."

"You are mistaken. Everything that occurs only confirms my resolution

to stay until the mystery is cleared."

"I have a message for you, Miss Innes," he said, rising at last. "Mrs.

Armstrong asked me to thank you for your kindness to Louise, whose

whim, occurring at the time it did, put her to great inconvenience.

Also--and this is a delicate matter--she asked me to appeal to your

natural sympathy for her, at this time, and to ask you if you will not

reconsider your decision about the house. Sunnyside is her home; she

loves it dearly, and just now she wishes to retire here for quiet and

peace."

"She must have had a change of heart," I said, ungraciously enough.

"Louise told me her mother despised the place. Besides, this is no

place for quiet and peace just now. Anyhow, doctor, while I don't care

to force an issue, I shall certainly remain here, for a time at least."