"About sixty."

"Has he always been queer?"

"He has always been interested in telepathy and mental suggestion,
and all that sort of thing. But before his wife's death, he was fairly
normal. It was her death that started him on this supernatural
business. He hasn't thought of anything else since."

"Are there any relatives who could be asked to interfere?"

"None that I know of."

I thought over what he had told me.

"Well," I said at last, "I can see no harm in your meeting Miss
Vaughan and finding out what the condition of affairs really is. If
her father is really mad, he may be a good deal worse now than he was
when you saw him last. It would, of course, be possible to have his
sanity tested--but his daughter would scarcely wish to do that."

"No, of course not," Swain agreed.

"Her letter tells you nothing?"

"Nothing except that she is in great trouble, and wishes to see me at
once."

"You are to go to the house?"