"Many such, Mr. Pons, from time immemorial. In more recent times, the occasional sheep or cattle. I do not know of any other fatality, offhand."
"Why did you not inform the police of this figure which had chased you?”
"Police!"
There was a wealth of disgust in our client's voice. "That would be worse than useless, Mr. Pons. I did not want them tramping about my property. And what could I tell them? That I had seen a ghost? They would have merely laughed. They do not deal in ghosts."
"Neither do I," said Pons.
"Mr. Grimstone has a point, Pons," I interjected.
My companion looked at me thoughtfully.
"Perhaps, Parker, perhaps," he said absently.
He turned back to Grimstone.
"What was this latest incident?"
"Only two nights ago, Mr. Pons. That was what prompted me to come to you. It has become unbearable."
"This apparition appears only at dusk, Mr. Grimstone?" "Why, yes, Mr. Pons. I have called it a crawling horror and I speak truly."
"That is important, Parker. Pray continue."
"Weil, Mr. Pons, my niece was present on this occasion, thank God."
Solar Pons' lean face was alive with interest.
"Excellent, Mr. Grimstone. That is of the utmost importance also."
Our client shot Solar Pons another resentful glance.
"No, Mr. Pons, I am not mad as you might have suspected. This apparition is visible to others than myself."
Solar Pons nodded.
"I am glad to hear it, Mr. Grimstone. But you may disabuse yourself of the supposition you have formed. It was never in my mind for one moment that your sanity was in question. Your financial reputation alone would have ruled that out."
The old man smiled grimly.
"You have only to see this thing to realize that something dreadful is at the back of it. To resume. Two evenings ago my niece complained of feeling cooped up in the house. She suggested a walk before dark. I was a little startled at the request but acquiesced, as she certainly does not get much change of air or exercise, other than her household duties. So we struck out along the main road and then took a well marked path that loops across the marsh."
The old man paused and looked at my companion sharply, as though to assure himself that he was still listening.
"Sylvia is interested in wild flowers, nature and nonsense of that sort and I usually indulge her in such fancies though such things interest me not at all. We had gone about half a mile across the marsh, Mr. Pons, to a very lonely spot indeed and I was thinking of suggesting that we go back. The light was beginning to fade from the sky and though my niece's presence reassured me, I still had the incidents at dusk at the back of my mind.
"She had gone on ahead a little way to look at something and I was temporarily alone. Suddenly, I became aware of a faint noise. I turned quickly and judge of my horror, Mr. Pons, when I saw this same ghastly blue phosphorescent figure rising from the haze at the edge of the marsh. I stood rooted to the spot at the sight and then my sudden cry brought my niece running to my side."
"Just a moment, Mr. Grimstone. Where was your niece exactly when this happened?"
"As I have said, Mr. Pons, some distance away."
"Was she visible to you or not?"
Old Grimstone was evidently puzzled.
"As a matter of fact, she was hidden by a fringe of bushes, Mr. Pons. Does it matter?"
"It might be of the greatest significance, Mr. Grimstone. Please go on."
"Well, Mr. Pons, my niece shrieked with fright on beholding this thing, as you might imagine. It made a sort of writhing motion and then disappeared into the marsh with incredible rapidity. We lost no time in regaining the high road and got back to the manor without seeing it again, thank God."
"You made no attempt to follow?"
Grimstone looked at Pons as though he was out of his mind. He shuddered.
"Not I, Mr. Pons."
"And once again, this phantom left no trace?"
Our visitor shook his head.
"We did not stop to look, Mr. Pons."
Solar Pons stroked his chin with thin fingers.
"A pity."
Grimstone cleared his throat with a harsh rasping noise.
"My niece and I sat up late that night discussing the matter. She suggested calling the police but for the reasons I have already enumerated I decided against. So I wrote to you yesterday and here I am entreating you to come down to Kent as soon as you can, Mr. Pons. I am not a rich man, but—"
"Tut," interrupted Solar Pons. "The fee is never the decisive factor in my cases. I had decided long ago that the matter displayed features of great interest. I will come down tomorrow if that will be convenient. Can you get away, Parker?"
I glanced at Pons with enthusiasm.
"It will not be difficult, Pons. I have only to telephone my locum."
"I hope I shall not have to pay for Dr. Parker's presence," said old Grimstone in alarm.
Pons' features expressed wry amusement as I turned an astonished face toward our miserly client.
"Do not worry, Mr. Grimstone, I shall come at my own expense."
Grimstone gave a sigh of relief.
"The accommodation at the manor is none of the best," he whined.
"We shall not strain your limited resources, Mr. Grim-stone," said Pons blandly. "You have an inn in the village, no doubt? It should not be difficult to get bed and board in such a place at this time of the year."
"Dear me, no," said our client, considerably mollified. "Then, if you would be good enough to reserve us two rooms we will be down tomorrow afternoon."
"Excellent, Mr. Pons. I will let them know at The Harrow." Grimstone rose, wafting toward me once again the odor of stale, mildewed clothing. He glanced at the clock.
"Good heavens, is that the time? I am usually abed long before this. I have to rise early in the morning, and meet our local mail carrier in front of Charing Cross. He had to come to London today so I have traveled with him to save expense."
I thought you said you came by train," observed Solar Pons with a wry smile. "You were complaining at the cost of rail fares, if I remember."
Grimstone turned toward the door in some confusion.
"You must have been mistaken, Mr. Pons," he murmured.
"No doubt," said Pons dryly. "Until tomorrow, then."
"Until tomorrow. You can get a fast train, I believe."
"You may expect us at about four, Mr. Grimstone. Good evening."
4
Solar Pons chuckled intermittently for several minutes after our visitor had left.
"Well, what do you make of him, Parker?"
"Of him or the case, Pons?"
"Both. He has not told me the half of it, I'll be bound."
I looked at my companion, startled.
"What on earth do you mean, Pons? You think this figure is a figment of his imagination?"
Solar Pons made an impatient clicking noise deep in his throat.
"Of course not, Parker. His niece saw the apparition in the marsh. No, this is a deep business. But I would like to have your views nevertheless."
"Your flatter me, Pons."
"Do not underestimate yourself, Parker. Your observations, while not always right, do much to guide me in the right direction."
"I am glad to hear it," I said. "The man is a miserly curmudgeon, as you so rightly surmised. But as to this bizarre and sinister apparition, it is beyond me."
"Yet I am convinced that there is a purpose behind it, Parker, if we pursue it to its logical conclusion. That it is supernatural is as ridiculous as to suppose that Grimstone imagined it."
"Well, you are certainly right, Pons, as Miss Grimstone saw it too. But how do you explain the fact that the figure left no footprints?"
"Elementary, my dear Parker. Grimstone is not a trained observer, and the marshy ground would tend to eliminate tracks. The case presents a number of intriguing possibilities. Not least being the fact that Miss Grimstone was not in sight the last time this thing made its appearance. I commend that fact to you, my dear fellow."