"Now, ain't that nonsense,--for reasonable, rational men!" and Crawford's fine scorn nettled Landon.
"Professor Hardwick doesn't think it nonsense," he returned.
The two were alone, Crawford having asked an interview with the man who had rented the house.
"Professor!" and Crawford fairly snorted. "For fool theories, commend me to a college professor. They can't see two inches either side of their noses!"
"We have had reason to believe in spiritual manifestations," went on Braye.
"Yes, and who gave you those reasons? Who rented this house to you folks, for the sole purpose of supplying you with a ha'nted house! Who knew that ghosts must be forthcoming, if you folks was to be satisfied? Who performed ghost doings himself, in order that you might not be disappointed?"
"What are you implying? That Mr.--that the owner tricked us?"
"That's for you to find out. You came up here to investigate, as I understand it. Well, why _don't_ you investigate? You swallow all them ghosts and ha'ntings, and never look around to see who's fooling you!"
"But, Doctor Crawford, what you insinuate is not possible. All the strange things we have seen or heard have occurred at night, or,--yes,--occasionally in the daytime, but always when Mr. Stebbins was at his home in East Dryden."
"Why, he has never been to the house at all, except two or three times on commonplace errands, since we've been here. The supernatural manifestations we have observed had no more to do with him than they had with you!"
"That's as may be. Only I advise you to investigate with a little common sense and not too much blind faith in your spook visitors. Now, Mr. Landon, I take it you're boss around here."
"I'm responsible for the house rent, if that's what you mean."
"Well, that'll do. Now, sir, there's got to be an inquest. I expected, of course, to hold it on the two bodies, but since one's gone, we'll have to do what we can without it. I don't deny that this case is beyond all my experience. I've sent for a detective from New York, and I'll get all the other help I need. But I'm all at sea, myself, and I make no secret of that."
"Not of murder! No, sir! Me'n Eli, we ain't good friends, haven't been for years, and I wouldn't put it past him to play ghost to scare you city people, but murder! Land, no, I wouldn't ever accuse Eli Stebbins of goin' that far!"