Evidence of Things Seen by Elizabeth Daly Page A

something else—something which seemed to have set him against her. When you asked him what it was, he turned the conversation.”
    â€œI thought he meant that she and those friends of hers in Stratfield had been gossiping about him.”
    â€œAnd from whom would you have heard this, if not from Miss Radford herself? You had only two other sources of information—the Simms outfit, and the Hunters. I should not suppose that Mrs. Simms and her hired man know anything whatever about Gilbert Craye, who lives ten miles off in Stratfield; and the Hunters, presumably, should not repeat gossip about him.”
    â€œThey never repeated any, and neither did Mrs. Simms or Web Hawley.”
    â€œBut Miss Radford has friends in Stratfield. However, it’s all very vague at present, and I only mention it as an indication that Alvira Radford had enemies on the earthly plane.”
    â€œGilbert Craye!”
    â€œWe mustn’t neglect what we have. Clara—” he turned, and put an arm around her shoulders, “have I managed to explode the ghost theory for you?”
    â€œYou’ve convinced me that there was no ghost. I knew you would!”
    â€œIf I’ve done that, I’ve done something of vast importance to this investigation.”
    â€œOf course the woman could have gone and got those clothes—and put them back in the attic. It’s pretty awful to think that she was wandering around and hiding in the house.”
    â€œShe won’t come back, you know.”
    â€œBut you haven’t told me how she could have killed Miss Radford, when I was right there and awake!”
    â€œNever mind how she killed Miss Radford. What I want is to get you to do me a colossal favor.”
    â€œYou know I’ll do anything.”
    â€œI want you to come back with me and live at the cottage.”
    Clara’s gray eyes met his green ones in a long look. She said at last: “Maggie will never go there again.”
    â€œYou’re wrong. She said this morning that she would if you would. She figures that the cottage isn’t haunted any more—Mrs. Hickson has had her revenge, you know, and can rest in peace.”
    â€œI can’t believe that Maggie will go back!”
    â€œShe’s promised to, if we want her. I told her that she should sleep in the Herons’ bedroom, with all doors open; and I only hope she doesn’t snore.”
    â€œOf course I’ll go anywhere you want me to. It will be all right if you’re there.”
    â€œThat’s talking.” He pressed her hard against his side. “I knew you would. Now I’ll explain why I’m so keen on going. In the first place, I quite agree with Maggie that the hauntings are over; their object has certainly been accomplished. They certainly weren’t engineered just to frighten you away. There are no counterfeiters’ dens or smugglers caves on the place, I suppose?”
    Clara said there were none, so far as she knew.
    â€œThen the attic door will stay shut from now on—unless we want it open. We’ll leave the other mysterious door—the condemned one—wide open, by the way; we’ll put a handle on it and give it a step. We’ll take the furniture out of that bedroom, and use it as a back entry; a thing which the cottage seems to need.”
    â€œHenry, that will make all the difference!”
    â€œThe Herons’ maid will have to have the other little bedroom, and we won’t invite any weekend guests; or if we do, they can sleep in the upstairs sitting room.”
    â€œThere’s a nice sofa there.”
    â€œAnd now I’ll give you my reasons for wanting to go back. First, of course, to relieve the hospitable Hunters of our presence. They’ll object; but after all, they may have plans for other guests.”
    â€œI’ve worried awfully about settling down on them.”
    â€œNaturally you have. But if we moved, where should we