came first on the 20th of October. I remember the date because
it was the day we went up Meldon Steep for the first time." She
felt a faint gasp of inward laughter at the thought that but for
that she might have forgotten.

Parvis continued to scrutinize her, as if trying to intercept her
gaze.

"We saw him from the roof," she went on. "He came down the lime-
avenue toward the house. He was dressed just as he is in that
picture. My husband saw him first. He was frightened, and ran
down ahead of me; but there was no one there. He had vanished."

"Elwell had vanished?" Parvis faltered.

"Yes." Their two whispers seemed to grope for each other. "I
couldn't think what had happened. I see now. He TRIED to come
then; but he wasn't dead enough--he couldn't reach us. He had to
wait for two months; and then he came back again--and Ned went
with him."

She nodded at Parvis with the look of triumph of a child who has
successfully worked out a difficult puzzle. But suddenly she
lifted her hands with a desperate gesture, pressing them to her
bursting temples.

"Oh, my God! I sent him to Ned--I told him where to go! I sent
him to this room!" she screamed out.

She felt the walls of the room rush toward her, like inward