Shehesitatedforamomentandthenassented。Theyleftthecarandwalkedalongthelittletrack，borderedwithwhiteposts，whichledontotheridge。Totheirrightwasthevillage，separatedfromthemonlybyonelevelstretchofmeadowland；inthebackground，thehall。Theyturnedalongtheraiseddikejustinsidethepebblybeach，andsheshowedhercompanionthenarrowwaterwayuptothevillage。Atitsentrancewasatallironupright，withaladderattachedandagreatlampatthetop。
“Thatistoshowthemthewayinatnight，isn’tit？“heasked。
Shenodded。
“Yes，“shetoldhim。“Mr。Fentolinhaditplacedthere。Andyet，“
shewenton，“curiouslyenough，sinceitwaserected，therehavebeenmorewrecksthanever。“
“Itdoesn’tseemadangerousbeach，“heremarked。
ShepointedtoaspotaboutfiftyyardsfromtheTower。Itwasthespottowhichthewomanwhomhehadmetonthedayofhisarrivalhadpointed。
“Youcan’tseethem，“shesaid；“theyarealwaysoutofsight，evenwhenthetideisatthelowest-buttherearesomehideoussunkenrocksthere。’TheDaggers，’theycallthem。Oneortwofishingboatshavebeenlostonthem，tryingtomakethevillage。WhenMr。
Fentolinputupthelamp，everyonethoughtthatitwouldbequitesafetotryandgetinatnight。Thiswinter，though，therehavebeenthreewreckswhichnoonecouldunderstand。Itmustbesomethinginthecurrents，orasortofopticalillusion，becauseinthelastshipwreckonemanwassaved，andhesworethatatthetimetheystrucktherock，theywereheadedstraightforthelight。“
TheyhadreachedtheTowernow。Hamelbecamealittleabsorbed。
Theywalkedaroundit，andhetriedthefrontdoor。Hefound，ashehadexpected，thatitopenedreadily。Helookedaroundhimforseveralmoments。
“Yourunclehasbeenherethismorning，“heremarkedquietly。
“Verylikely。“
“Thatouthouse，“hecontinued，“mustbequitealargeplace。Haveyouanyideawhatitisheworksuponthere？“
“None，“sheanswered。
Helookedaroundhimoncemore。
“Mr。Fentolinhasbeenpreparingformycoming，heobserved。“I
seethathehasmovedafewofhispersonalthings。“
Shemadenoreply，onlysheshiveredalittleasshesteppedbackintothesunshine。
“Idon’tbelieveyoulikemylittledomicile，“heremarked，astheystartedoffhomeward。
“Idon’t，“sheadmittedcurtly。
“Inthetrain，“heremindedher，“youseemedrathertodiscouragemycominghere。Yetlastnight，afterdinner-“
“Iwaswrong，“sheinterrupted。“Ishouldhavesaidnothing，andyetIcouldn’thelpit。Idon’tsupposeitwillmakeanydifference。“
“Makeanydifferencetowhat？“
“Icannottellyou，“sheconfessed。“OnlyIhaveastrangeantipathytotheplace。Idon’tlikeit。Myunclesometimesshutshimselfuphereforquitealongtime。Wehaveanidea，GeraldandI，thatthingshappenheresometimeswhichnooneknowsof。Whenhecomesback，heismoodyandill-tempered，orelsehalfmadwithexcitement。
Heisn’talwaystheamiablecreaturewhomyouhavemet。Hehasthefaceofanangel，buttherearetimes-“
“Well，don’tlet’stalkabouthim，“Hamelbegged，ashervoicefaltered。“NowthatIamgoingtostayintheneighbourhoodforafewdays，youmustpleaserememberthatitispartlyyourresponsibility。Youarenotgoingtoshutyourselfup，areyou？
You’llcomeandplaygolfagain？“
“Ifhewillletme，“shepromised。
“Ithinkhewillletyou，rightenough，“Hamelobserved。“Betweenyouandme，IratherthinkhehateshavingmedownattheToweratall。Hewillencourageanythingthattakesmeaway，evenasfarastheGolfClub。“
TheywereapproachingtheHallnow。Shewaslookingoncemoreasshehadlookedlastnight。Shehadlosthercolour，herwalkwasnolongerbuoyant。Shehadtheairofaprisonerwho，afterabriefspellofliberty，entersoncemoretheplaceofhisconfinement。
Geraldcameouttomeetthemastheyclimbedthestonestepswhichledontotheterrace。Heglancedbehindashegreetedthem，andthenalmoststealthilytookatelegramfromhispocket。
“Thiscameforyou，“heremarked，handingittoHamel。“Imettheboybringingitoutoftheoffice。“
Hameltoreitopen，withawordofthanks。Geraldstoodinfrontofhimasheread。
“Ifyouwouldn’tmindputtingitawayatonce，“heasked，alittleuncomfortably。“Yousee，thetelegraphofficeisintheplace，andmyunclehasaqueerrulethateverytelegramisbroughttohimbeforeitisdelivered。“
Hameldidnotspeakforamoment。Hewaslookingatthefewwordsscrawledacrossthepinksheetwithaheavyblackpencil:
“MakeeveryenquiryinyourneighbourhoodforanAmerican，JohnP。Dunster，entrustedwithmessageofgreatimportance，addressedtoVonDusenberg，TheHague。IsbelievedtohavebeeninrailwayaccidentnearWymondhamandtohavebeentakenfrominnbyyoungmaninmotor-car。Suggestthatheisbeingim-
properlydetained。“
Hamelcrumpledupthetelegramandthrustitintohispocket。
“By-the-by，“heasked，astheyascendedthesteps，“whatdidyousaythenameofthispoorfellowwaswhoislyingillup-stairs？“
Geraldhesitatedforamoment。Thenheansweredasthoughaspeciesofrecklessnesshadseizedhim。
“HecalledhimselfMr。JohnP。Dunster。“
Mr。Fentolin，havingsucceededingettingridofhisnieceandhissomewhatembarrassingguestforatleasttwohours，wasseatedinhisstudy，planningoutasomewhatstrenuousmorning，whenhisprivacywasinvadedbyDoctorSarson。
“Ourguest，“thelatterannounced，inhisusualcoldandmeasuredtones，“hassentmetorequestthatyouwillfavourhimwithaninterview。“
Mr。Fentolinlaidhispendeliberatelydown。
“Sosoon，“hemurmured。“Verywell，Sarson，Iamathisservice。
SaythatIwillcomeatonce。“
Mr。Fentolinlostnotimeinpayingthissuggestedvisit。Mr。JohnP。Dunster，shavedandclothed，wasseatedinaneasy-chairdrawnuptothewindowofhisroom，smokingwhathewasforcedtoconfesswasaveryexcellentcigar。Heturnedhisheadasthedooropened，andMr。Fentolinwavedhishandpleasantly。
“Really，“hedeclared，“thisismostagreeable。Ihadanidea，Mr。
Dunster，thatIshouldfindyouareasonableperson。Menofyoureminenceintheirprofessionusuallyare。“
Mr。Dunsterlookedatthespeakercuriously。
“Andwhatmightmyprofessionbe，Mr。Fentolin？“heasked。“Youseemtoknowagreatdealaboutme。“
“Itistrue，“Mr。Fentolinadmitted。“Idoknowagreatdeal。“
Mr。Dunsterknockedtheashfromhiscigar。
“Well，“hesaid，“IhavebeenthehearerofseveralimportantcommunicationsfrommysideoftheAtlantictoEnglandandtotheContinent，andIhavealwaysknownthattherewasacertainamountofriskinthebusiness。OnceIhadanexceedinglynarrowshave，“
hecontinuedreminiscently，“butthisisthefirsttimeIhaveeverbeendeadupagainstit，andIdon’tmindconfessingthatyou’vefairlygotmepuzzled。Whothemischiefareyou，Mr。Fentolin，andwhatareyouinterferingabout？“
Mr。Fentolinnsmiledqueerly。
“Iamwhatyousee，“hereplied。“Iamoneofthoseunfortunatehumanbeingswho，byreasonoftheirphysicalmisfortunes，arecutofffromtheworldofactuallife。Ihavebeencompelledtoseekdistractioninstrangequarters。Ihavewealth-greatwealthI
supposeIshouldsay；aninordinatecuriosity，atalentforintrigue。
AstothedirectioninwhichIcarryonmyintrigues，orevenastothedirectinterestswhichIstudy，thatisamatter，Mr。Dunster，uponwhichIshallnotgratifyyourcuriositynoranybodyelse’s。
But，yousee，Iamadmittingfreelythatitdoesinterestmetointerfereingreataffairs。“
“Buthowonearthdidyougettoknowaboutme，“Mr。Dunsterasked，“andmyerrand？Youcouldn’tpossiblyhavegotmehereinanordinaryway。Itwasanentirefluke。“
“There，youspeakwithsomeshowofreason。Ihaveanephewwhomyouhavemet，whoisdevotedtome。“
