But I am free to confess that I cast more than one curious glance at the room with the red paneled door; while I was performing a like service upstairs.
Before the inspection of the premises was half completed on the following day, Mrs. Avery declared enthusiastically in its favor. She was young and pretty and romantic, and the fine old place, with its historical associations, appealed strongly to her nature. On the way back to the machine, Jim detained me with a look. When we were out of hearing of the others he turned to me impetuously.
"You are not going to rent that house to those people," he asserted.
"I am not?"
"No, you are not!"
"Why?" "Because I won't have it," he declared. "It would be criminal."
"Since when did you acquire the right to dictate the policy of the firm?"
"Damn the firm, and you, too! I say you will not allow that pretty young thing to live in this devilish place. It might mean her death, or worse. I stopped here last night!"
"You?" I demanded in amazement.
"How did you get in?"
"Window," he announced.
"And did you go into the forbidden room?" "No, I did not because I couldn't get in. I tried, I'll admit. And I guess I'm glad I didn't succeed. Now, Dick, see here. You just cool off and listen. I felt and heard things last night that convinced me that that room is occupied by something that is not human!"
"By what?"
"I don't know what. I wish I did. You believe in the supernatural, Dick, only you call it by some other name. Put these people off for a week and let's investigate. It is worth the effort, and it might save a tragedy."
"I can't, Jim," I said, somewhat impressed, and considerably mollified, by his serious manner. "They have taken the place and are going to remain tonight, and have their effects and servants come on from New York at once."
"Then," said Jim with decision, "I'll tell Mrs. Avery just exactly what has happened and scare her off." "Jim, you're a fool," I retorted, "can't you see that Mrs. Avery is just the kind of woman who would be delighted to have a 'ghost' in the house? You just leave this to me. I'll tell Avery about the whole affair and your suspicions, and advise him to keep it from his wife. I'm bound to tell him about the room, anyway, and entrust him with the key. It will be a matter of honor with him, but judging from his looks his curiosity won't get the better of it. I wouldn't say the same for his wife. Not that she isn't strictly honorable, you know, but a woman's curiosity-"
"By the way, Jim," I added, "what did you see last night?"
"Nothing. I felt and heard it. But I won't tell you what. You politely suggested yesterday that I was drunk or crazy, and I don't care to invite a second criticism of my habits or mentality. I'll simply say this, that the danger, or evil influence, or whatever it is, is confined to the one room. The rest of the house seems to be free from it."
I left Jim brooding, and rejoined the Avery's somewhat worried, I admit, and regretting the restrictions that prohibited me from entering the room. I had always taken a deep interest in all that pertained to the supernatural, but had never had any actual demonstration of its existence. All matters pertaining to the unknown, or the unseen, life, or to life after death, held a strange interest for me. Not that I was a spiritualist in any sense of the word, or at least not in the sense in which the term is generally understood, but I did believe that there were unseen forces, not human, constantly present and working among us.
That this influence or power worked for both good and evil I had no doubt. What these forces were-whether they were human souls. after transition to the spirit form, and shackled for some unknown cause to the earth life, or the product of some other sphere, or whether they were purely demoniacal-I did not know, nor do I know now. I simply know that they exist, and that they exert a constant influence upon mankind.
That something out of the ordinary was amiss with the room with the red paneled door I had no doubt. Mr. Ormond's peculiar attitude and the extraordinary effect made upon Jim, hardheaded, practical Jim, convinced me of this. But what was it?
On some pretext I got Mr. Avery away from his wife and told him all the circumstances. He looked annoyed at first and then anxiously at his wife. Finally he burst into a hearty laugh.
"All right," he said, "I'll accept the key and the secret and will agree to keep both from my wife. I don't take a bit of stock in all of this rot your friend has been telling you. At the same time I know what effect this story and these conditions would have upon my wife, who is emotional and very romantic. Furthermore, I don't want anything to interfere with the pleasure of our honeymoon here."
And when I left them, envious of their happiness and beautiful surroundings, I breathed a prayer that if any sinister presence were in that house, they might not come under its baneful influence.
The summer passed uneventfully, with no word from our tenants, except for the monthly remittance. And then, one morning late in October, as Jim and I were preparing to make a visit of inspection to several properties, I was called to the telephone, and in answer to my response a voice, which, in spite of its tremor and excitement, I recognized as Avery's, asked me to come immediately to Hedgewood. It was not until we were in the car that I told Jim, who was driving, to head for Ormond's place, and put on all speed.
"What's the trouble?" he asked, obeying my wishes, but taking time to cast a curious glance at me.
"I don't know. Avery telephoned me to come at once on a matter of great importance."
It was only good fortune that kept Jim from arrest for breaking the speed law, for twenty minutes later he drew up in front of the gate at Hedgewood. Avery was there to meet us. His face was pale, and his eyes had a look of horror in them.
"What's the matter?" I demanded, as he jumped into the car and we drove to the house.
"Brooks is dead-murdered, I think."
"Who is Brooks?"
"My brother-in-law; he came last week to spend a few days with us and-"
"Was he in the secret room?" I demanded. He flushed and stammered. "Yes-yes. I told him the story and showed him the key, but put him on his honor not to use it. I didn't think he'd do it. But it seems he was interested in that sort of thing. And-and-" His voice trailed off, then suddenly rose, and he turned on me in a fit of fury. "What the devil do you mean by putting us in a house like that?" he snarled. "What devilish thing have you got in that room? It might have been my wife-my wife!"
He stood over me with distorted face and threatening gesture.
"Sit down!" I said coldly. "I told you the conditions. I know nothing of the room other than what you know. Where is your brother-in-law?"
He sank back in the tonneau, his face twitching nervously, while the car drove slowly toward the house.
"He is still in the room," he whispered with a shudder, "and I can't get him out."
"Can't?" I asked.
