Page:The Viaduct Murder (1926).pdf/244

"Well, it was a sort of nerve man I went to. Didn't seem to be much use. He talked to me for about half an hour about French cathedrals, and then told me to knock off drinking and smoking."

"Yes, but dash it all, what were your symptoms?"

"I say, Gordon, do you believe in⁠—well, in ghosts and things?"

"Not more than's good for me. Why? You been seeing spooks?"

"Look here, I wanted to tell somebody about it. You know, of course, that I preached about Brotherhood last night. I wasn't quite sure whether it was the thing to do⁠—it seemed a bit unfair at the time. Anyhow, I felt I ought to. Then at dinner, if you remember, you and Carmichael were ragging about it⁠—wondering what would happen if old Brotherhood came back."

"Yes, I remember."

"Well, of course that may have preyed on my nerves a bit. Anyhow, I went upstairs to my room, and found my pipe chocked up⁠—you know."

"Yes, it's funny the way they do get chocked up."

"So I went along to Reeves' room to bag one of his pipe-cleaners. It was dark and he wasn't in, so I turned on the light. And there, right in front of me, I saw old Brotherhood's oak stick⁠—the one he used to carry with him. I remember, when he preached on the village green. I remember his quoting Johnson's refutation of Berkeley⁠—you know