“But the wounded person is another matter.  Where she is hidden is more than I can imagine.”

“I hope it wasn’t Miss Stevens,” said Nick.

“You called her name.”

“Yes; I thought the chances were that it was she, but, of course, I couldn’t recognize her in that rig for certain.”

“Well, if it was she, of course, we shall find it out.  It’s impossible for her to carry those two bullets around with her and not show it.”

Nick was dressed by this time.  They went out into the hall of the new part.  Nick had been taken to a room there, instead of being carried to that which had been assigned to him in the old part of the house.

From below came the sound of voices.  The colonel, the doctor and Mrs. Pond were talking of the case.

Patsy stopped before a closed door in the upper hall.

A sign from Patsy arrested Nick’s attention.  He communicated to Nick in their silent language: 

“That’s Horace’s room, isn’t it?  Whom is he talking with?”

Nick listened.  Then he laughed.

“You’ve fooled yourself there, Patsy,” he said.  “He’s talking to a parrot.  It’s one of his pets.  He has a good many.”

Patsy looked a little sheepish.

“You can’t blame me, Nick,” he said.  “We must suspect everybody in such business as this.  Isn’t that right?”

“Quite right,” responded the detective.

They went at once to the old dining-hall.  Colonel Richmond presently joined them there.

To him Nick frankly explained all the events of the previous night, including the disguise which he had adopted in order not to appear in the ghost hunt in his own person.

In return the colonel confessed the facts of his visit to the medium.  He said that he had done it secretly, because Horace and his daughter so strongly objected to his seeing those who held communion with the other world.

As to the woman who had met the colonel, he said that he did not know her name.  She was veiled all the time, and did not speak to him.

After the disturbance—­he was careful not to call it an expose—­this woman had led him to the carriage, and they had hastened away.

Such was the strength of his delusion that he still believed that the manifestations he had seen at that house were genuine.  He would not accept Nick’s version of the affair.

“I have made up my mind what to do,” he said.  “My decision is unalterable.  I shall buy the jewels and give them to Millie Stevens.  I believe that in so doing I shall carry out my aunt’s wishes.”

It was a queer case for Nick.  He had followed up many crimes, and had recovered a hundred fortunes in stolen property, but this was the first time that he had seen a robbery going on before his eyes and been unable to prevent it.

His pride was aroused.  There was no use in combating the colonel’s delusion.  Of that he felt sure.