felt that marriage was for the time being unthinkable, and despite
Brellier's constant urging in that direction, she held her ground firmly,
telling him that they preferred to wait awhile.

"I'm going to solve the blessed thing, 'Toinette," Nigel told her over
and over again during these long weeks and days that followed, "if I grow
gray-headed in the attempt. Dacre Wynne was no true friend of mine, but
he was my guest at the time of his disappearance, and I mean to find the
reason of it."

If he had only known what the future held in store for them both, would
he still have clung to his purpose? Who can tell?

It was at night that the thing obsessed him worst. When darkness had
fallen Merriton would sit, evening after evening, looking out upon that
same scene that he had shown his companions that eventful night. And
always the flames danced on their maddening way, mocking him, holding
behind the screen of their brilliancy the key to Dacre Wynne's
inexplicable disappearance. Merriton would sit and watch them for hours,
and sometimes find himself talking to them.

What was the matter with him? Was he going insane? Or was this Dacre
Wynne's abominable idea of a revenge for having stolen 'Toinette's heart
away from him? To have died and sent his spirit back to haunt the man he
hated seemed to Merriton sometimes the answer to the questions which
constantly puzzled him.